Dora Nominations

Obsidian Theatre would like to congratulate the following people on their Dora Mavor Moore Award Nominations:

Tamara Marie Kucheran: Outstanding Costume Design, Black Medea
Tamara was nominated for and won in this category last year for her stunning costumes in Intimate Apparel.

Naomi Campbell has been awarded this year's Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award recognising her outstanding career as an independent theatre producer.
Over the past 20 years she has worked everywhere from the Fringe Festival to Nightswimming to Mamailian Diving Reflex- including Obsidian producing our Mentor/Apprentice Program.

Marjorie Chan was nominated as a librettist with Abigail Richardson (composer): Outstanding New Musical/Opera, Sanctuary Song.
Marjorie also directed Obsidian's production of Late this past season.

Raven Dauda:Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Featured Role- Play, Miss Julie Freedom Summer, Doubt, a parable
This year Raven appeared in 3 CanStage shows- an unprecedented occurance.

Kevin Hanchard:Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role- Play, Miss Julie: Freedom Summer
You can catch both Raven and Kevin in the Canadian Stage presentation of the Obsidian Production of Intimate Apparel in February 2010 at the Bluma Appel Theatre.

Marcia Johnson was nominated as a librettist with Stephan Andrew Taylor (composer): Outstanding New Musical/Opera, Opera to Go: My Mother's Ring.
\Marcia is an Obsidian Playwrights Unit Alumnus and playwright of Late, which premiered as part of our 2008/09 Mainstage season.

Richard Lee: Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role- Musical, The Forbidden Phoenix.
Richard is also the General Manager of fu-gen Asian Canadian Theatre Company and was sound designer for Obsidian's Mainstage productions Late and Black Medea earlier this season.

Andrew Moodie:Outstanding New Play, Toronto the Good
Toronto the Good was directed by Artistic Driector, Philip Akin.

Alison Sealy-Smith,Obsidian's Founding Artistic Director was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Principal Role- Play, A Raisin in the Sun

Staying at home

Theatres adapt to lower budgets


The Perils of Playing it Safe.

So a couple of links that, although from the States, have a certain relevance to Canada. I just finished looking over a semi comprehensive list of the 2009-2010 theatre seasons from around the country and boy oh boy is the playing it safe paradigm ever at work. Maybe it was ever thus but when you look at the whole picture it sure leaps out at you.

Also what leaps out is the size of the shows and who is directing them. By my quick count it seems that the artistic directors are taking on a bigger directing load this season. Bob Baker [3], Steven Schipper [4] , Peter Hinton [3], Richard Rose [3], Ron Ulrich [4] and Messers Hinton and Rose are also directing away from their own venues as well.

So this must be the sign of the times. More tried and true recognizable theatre with slightly reduced opportunities for outside directors. I am not sure this is a workable plan if it goes on for more than a year or so but it would be nice to open up the discussion of how theatres are looking to the future.

Put to Rest

Well! All done. Over. Finis.
The 2008-2009 Season that is. The Mussorgsky Project was this afternoon and we had a full house, good food and many kudos floating in the air.
I have to say that this is probably the most special event for me as it was the first new thing that I created after taking over as artistic director. So many of the previous playwrights unit have gone on to further develop their pieces and create new work that I feel this was the right thing at the right time. I feel kind of like that I was able to create a space and people came in and made a garden. Some flowers, some veggie and some herbs. Everything that you might need to tease the palate and entice the eyes.
Next season we go to a slightly different model whereby we will be working on full length plays with and eye to down the road production but the M-Project will arise again the year after.

Mussorgsky Project

Obsidian marks the beginning of spring with The Mussorgsky Project - our third annual staged reading series celebrating the work of our Playwrights Unit.
What makes each Obsidian event a success is the presence and constant support of our community. Come and join us for an afternoon of readings, a talkback session and great company. Take the opportunity to indulge in complimentary treats and meet the playwrights at the post-show reception.


The
Mussorgsky
Project

Sun May 3rd, 2009
2:30 p.m.
Factory Theatre Studio
Part of the CrossCurrents Festival 2009
Tickets: PWYC

Featuring new works by Obsidian's 2008/2009 Playwrights Unit:

Toast by: Laurence Anthony
Directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa

Group by: Aisha Sasha John
Directed by Joan Kivanda

Aneemah’s Spot by: Motion
Directed by Dian Marie Bridge

For more information about the Mussorgsky project please visit our website at: www.obsidian-theatre.com
http://www.obsidian-theatre.com/muss2009.html