 Our 2021 Summer Season Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor July 13 – July 24 Something From Nothing Season #2 July 28 – August 14 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe adapted by le Clanche du Rand Private performance tour Box office and ticket sales open June 1st! We’ll be back this July and August for our second Covid summer of theatre in Port Perry. If you joined us last year, you’ll remember how satisfying, and safe it felt to experience live theatre with others in the open air. Once again we’ll be outdoors and observing all mandated physical distancing and gathering protocols. And once again, we will be making the health of our performers and patrons our top priority - we are now members of the TIAO (Tourism Industry Association of Ontario) Safe Travel Stamp accreditation program and will be welcoming a Covid Compliance Coordinator to our summer staff. And we’re supporting physical safety with our play choices as well. Our line up is building on the Something From Nothing model we put in place to adapt to the sudden changes and challenges of last year. Rehearing virtually and live, our summer artists will bring another new comedy to the stage in week one and deliver a program of mixed work in week two. In our third week, we will wrap the season up with a yet to be confirmed ensemble work that entertains and captivates while observing all protocols. Our opening production this summer – Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor, was originally scheduled for our season last year. Cottagers and Indians has a cast of two and explores the politics and issues around the harvesting of wild rice in the Kawartha Lakes region. It is a powerful mix of comedy and commentary on contemporary confrontations between environmentalism and consumerism, Indigenous and non-Indigenous sensibilities. Cottagers and Indians is being presented with the support of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. Throughout the summer, we’ll also be offering a delightful touring production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, perfect for families and young audiences. With minimal set, costumes and props, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe comes to life with a cast of two and a lot of imagination. This 45 minute show can be packed up and taken on the road, and that’s just what we’re going to do. We’re making a number of performances available for private outdoor home viewing and will bring the show to your driveway or lawn, maintaining all mandated regional and provincial gathering protocols for performers and audience. Public performances are also now being tentatively scheduled for later in the summer. The box office opens June 1. Watch for more details coming soon on tickets, times and venues. All productions remain subject to change and to taking place only in accordance with Covid health restrictions. Receive the latest information on our summer shows, and all our productions, by subscribing to our newsletter at newsletter@theatre3x60.ca or following us on Facebook @theatreontheridgeportperry.
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 This summer Theatre on the Ridge brings live theatre to your door!
Our unique production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is perfect for outdoor home performances in June, July and August. The pandemic has made keeping theatre live very difficult for over a year as rehearsal spaces and theatres remain closed and Theatre on the Ridge continues to meet the challenge. This June, we’re moving outdoors to bring a unique travelling adaptation of C. S. Lewis’ beloved children’s classic, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe to life. With only a cast of two, and minimal set, props and costumes, the story of this beloved children’s classic is told through clever staging and engages the imaginations of audience of all ages. A heroic tale of love, faith, courage, giving, and the triumph of good over evil, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a perfect production to introduce young audiences to the joy and magic of theatre and the perfect play to bring to your driveway or lawn this summer. Directed by Theatre on the Ridge artistic director, Carey Nicholson, the cast of Frances Loiselle and Michael Williamson are familiar with creating magic on stage - audiences will remember them as Tinkerbell and Peter Pan from the Festival 2018 season. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe can easily be packed up and taken on the road, and that’s just what we’re doing. We'll bring the show to your driveway or lawn, maintaining all mandated regional and provincial gathering protocols for performers and audience. A limited number of public performances may be scheduled for late May and early June; however, at the time of this release, location, performance dates and times are yet to be confirmed and subject to Covid health restrictions. Receive the latest information on this, and all our productions, by subscribing to our newsletter at newsletter@theatre3x60.ca or following us on Facebook @theatreontheridgeportperry. For details on booking a home performance, contact us directly at info@theatre3x60.ca.  Theatre on the Ridge
Playwriting and Creation Opportunities Spring 2021 Seeking Expressions of Interest from Playwrights Something From Nothing Workshop – Season 2 Submissions accepted until May 15, 2021 “For a playwright, there’s only one drawback when you work with the great people at Theatre on the Ridge in creating something from nothing. It’s the fact that you can’t do it all the time. Eventually, you have to go back to writing alone at your desk. Having a cast and a director and a stage manager in the room as you write is at least twice as rewarding as you can imagine it to be. And at least twice as much fun. It’s creative collaboration at its best. Don’t pass it up.” Peter Paylor – Something From Nothing guest playwright, 2020 Last year, in response to reinventing our summer season due to Covid, we created the Something From Nothing new play workshop. What started as an impromptu solution to keeping our summer artists busy became one of our favourite projects of the year. Now we are planning Something From Nothing – Season 2 and are inviting playwrights to submit their expression of interest. We are seeking a playwright up for some fun and the challenge of working collaboratively off the cuff in a short turn around timeframe, and, of course, open to creating something from nothing. Learn more at http://www.theatreontheridge.ca/create-with-us.html Call for Submissions Port Perry Snapshots Festival - Short Playwriting Competition Submissions accepted until June 15, 2021 2021 marks the sesquicentennial celebration of the settler incorporation of Port Perry and Theatre on the Ridge is recognizing this event by inviting playwrights within and outside Port Perry, Scugog Township and Durham Region to submit to the Port Perry Snapshots Short Play Festival. Port Perry Snapshots is a playwriting competition celebrating the moments that can define a single life and/or life in a small Ontario town. Such moments are the subject matter of three paintings by Scugog visual artist, Carol Matsuyama – Reflection, Doris Shoes and Bingo Ladies. Each painting captures a snapshot of a moment in Port Perry and provides the inspiration for a series of new original short plays to be performed later this year. Full submission details, painting images and application form available at http://www.theatreontheridge.ca/create-with-us.html Call for BIPOC Playwright Commission for New Play to be presented in 2022 Submissions accepted until June 30, 2021 Theatre on the Ridge is pleased to announce that we will be commissioning a new theatre work by a BIPOC playwright to be inspired by the story of Port Perry’s first black resident, Samuel Stout, who arrived in the community in 1866. The story opens up avenues to explore how history has been written and erased, interracial marriage, white privilege, and the face of racism of small town in Ontario. In conjunction with play development, a series of interactive audience and community engagement workshops will be presented with a focus on both the theatre creation process and related local black history and diversity programming. The project will culminate in the first formal presentation of the new play in the fall of 2022. This project is open to BIPOC playwrights writing and living in Ontario. A play development commission of $5,000 is available for the selected playwright, with support for securing additional funding also possible. Interested playwrights may contact us at info@theatre3x60.ca for full project details and information, and to request an entry package, which will be ready in early May. Theatre on the Ridge receives provincial funding support to continue bringing local history to life in 2021 and 2022
In spite of theatres remaining closed due to Covid restrictions, Theatre on the Ridge has kept theatre alive since the beginning of the pandemic, and now will continue to do so into 2022 with the support of the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario Culture Days. The Ontario Arts Council recently awarded an Arts Response Initiative grant to Theatre on the Ridge, allowing the company to adapt its popular Pine Grove Plots theatrical walk program to virtual safe self guided tours, accessible on personal devices. In addition, there is the potential over the next year to develop new tours profiling other notable heritage and community stories in Scugog. The original Pine Grove Plots was written by area playwright, Graeme Powell from the book, Pine Grove Cemetery by Paul Arculus. Both live performances and the launch of the virtual tours are expected to take place this summer. Looking ahead to 2022, Theatre on the Ridge has also been selected for the Ontario Culture Days Creatives in Residence program. Funding from this program will support commissioning a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) playwright to create a new play for Theatre on the Ridge, inspired by the life of the first black resident in Port Perry. Professor Samuel Stout arrived in our community in 1866 and although part of his compelling story has been told briefly in Pine Grove Plots, both the man and his life in this community are worthy of much greater exploration and awareness. In conjunction with the play development component, the project includes a series of interactive audience and community engagement workshops with a focus on both the theatre creation process, related local black history and diversity programming. The workshops will take place in the summer of 2022 and the project will culminate in the first formal presentation of the new play during Culture Days the same fall. Playwrights wishing to submit a proposal for consideration should contact Theatre on the Ridge at info@theatre3x60.ca to request a detailed project package, which will be available in early May. Theatre on the Ridge would like to acknowledge the financial support of the Ontario Arts Council and Ontario Culture Days for making both these projects possible. In the face of the devastating, ongoing challenges to live theatre, including complete shutdown, brought on by Covid 19, opportunities to safely create new work and new platforms for staying relevant in our community and connecting to our audiences are greatly needed and appreciated. For more information on the virtual Pine Grove Plots project, the call for submissions for the Samuel Stout project, and other upcoming theatre productions and events, visit our website at theatreontheridge.ca.  Spring 2021 and a second Something From Nothing Summer
Theatres may still be closed but we will continue to make theatre happen, including taking our summer season outdoors for the second year, and are now accepting applications for the following positions: Actor/Instructor - up to 6 positions available 9 weeks, full time – June to August, 2021 Stage Manager - 2 positions available 9 weeks, full time – June to August, 2021 Production Manager - 1 position available 23 weeks, part time – May to October, 2021 Media & Communications Coordinator -1 position available 23 weeks, part time – May to October, 2021 Production Assistant - 1 position available 23 weeks, part time - May to October, 2021 Curatorial Assistant - 1 position available 9 weeks, full time – June to August, 2021 In spite of the onset of the third wave of Covid, the new VOC’s and the most recent stay at home order, we are still committed to keeping theatre live as long as we can and as safely as we can. We’ve got a second summer planned based on our successful ad hoc season last year. Something From Nothing season #2 will include an artist and playwright workshop residency and a modified repertory performance slate (readings/productions/virtual) of collectively curated work. With the support of the Ontario Arts Council, we will also be revisiting our Pine Grove Plots theatrical walks, adapting this popular program to both Covid safe live performances and a virtual experience. In addition to employment positions, we are also offering a limited number of performance apprenticeships, and student co-op and unpaid intern placements in several production, front of house and media areas. Please visit our website here for full position descriptions, Covid related priority criteria and application deadlines. Note: At this time, all positions are subject to funding and mandated Covid health and safety restrictions. “Theatre 3x60/Theatre on the Ridge is committed to diversity and inclusion in our hiring and recruitment practices, and encourage applications from culturally diverse persons, Indigenous persons, deaf persons, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression. We welcome applications from persons with disabilities to the extent possible with the physical spaces of our venues, current resources and requirements of the positions available."  Mary's Wedding by Stephen Massicotte
Online February 13 & 14! February is the month for love and great love stories, even in lockdown! And we’re making one of our favourite past productions available for this year’s pandemic Valentine’s Day. For 48 hours only, we are streaming our 2017 production of Mary’s Wedding by Stephen Massicotte. The archival video of this popular play, featuring Manon Ens-Lapointe and Duncan Gibson-Lockhart, will be streamed on our private Youtube channel Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14. Through vivid and poetic language, this Canadian play tells the poignant story of Mary and Charlie, who discover a charming first love, filled with innocence and humour in 1914 as the world collapses into a brutal war. Proceeds from the evening will support Theatre on the Ridge returning to the live stage in 2021. Viewers can receive access to this archival video for only $15. Purchase your link and password here  We'd like you to help us light up our Christmas Tree on December 1st!
This year, we’re asking for your help to trim the tree and light the lights. December 1st is Giving Tuesday and every donation of $20 or more will light one of the 25 lights on this lovely hand drawn Christmas Tree by Theatre on the Ridge artist, Frances Loiselle. Each December, Giving Tuesday brings the global community together for an influential day of positive impact that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate and celebrate generosity. It’s a great way to start your holiday giving by making a transformational gift for your community and we hope that you’ll put us on your gift list. As a member of our theatre family, you know that Covid 19 has had a dramatic effect on all performing arts and cultural organizations, including Theatre on the Ridge. Yes, we’ve been able to gather together to share live theatre when restrictions have permitted, but not in any way that is viable on an ongoing basis. With your help we can keep bringing you live stage readings, productions, more podcasts and community events. We can continue to support local and emerging theatre artists and adapt to the ongoing challenges of Covid by exploring more virtual and online presentations and programs. We can even stage a reimagined Festival 2021 next summer! Now, more than ever, we need your support, to keep our theatre live, so please join us next Tuesday, December 1st, to light our Giving Tuesday “tree” and end 2020 on a festive note! Donate here  Live performances, online shopping and more...
At Theatre on the Ridge, we’re keeping theatre live all the way through 2020. Right now, we’re getting into a festive mood to celebrate with some great seasonal events and performances, but once again, the tenacity of this pandemic and the everchanging information and restrictions have made it necessary to modify some of our activities for the immediate safety and longterm well-being of our artists and audiences. The Christmas Tree by Norm Foster returns! The good news is that we are remounting our live production of Norm Foster’s The Christmas Tree outdoors to the Scugog Arts Space on December 19 and 20. Only 40 minutes long, this delightful story, filled with laughs, heartache and good old-fashioned Christmas spirit, is the perfect break from the bustle of holiday preparations and shopping in downtown Port Perry. Tickets on sale now! On the downside, we’ll be putting our First Read Club on hold for December. We hope this monthly book club for theatre lovers will return in the new year. For the moment, we've also put our live staged reading of The Patron Saint of Stanley Park by Hiro Kanagawa on December 12 on hold, but still hope to still share this wonderful play in some way, so stay tuned! This uniquely Canadian Christmas family story will likely be presented as a livestream or virtual event, but we know that, even online, it will still soften the hardest heart! Shop our Backstage Bazaar Online If you aren’t able to attend one of our live events but still want to support Theatre on the Ridge as it keeps theatre live, check out our new online Backstage Bazaar for great gifts and gift certificates. Check out our online store here! You can also find the handwork of our artists all month at The Scugog Arts Christmas Market at 175B Queen St. Port Perry, or join us on Giving Tuesday, December 1st by making a donation to light the lights on our Christmas Tree. Now, more than ever, we will need your support to make it through to the spring and summer of 2021. Pandemic or not, we've still got a lot going on this December. Tickets and quantities are limited for all live events and some items, so purchase early!  Keeping it Live This November!
A Staged Reading November 7, 3 pm & 7 pm Anglican Church of the Ascension 266 North St., Port Perry Theatre on the Ridge brings Rob Corbett’s moving comedy Outside the Lines to the Anglican Church of the Ascension with two staged reading performances on November 7th. Physical distancing and other Covid protocols will be maintained as part of the company’s commitment to the health and safety of its performers, crew and audiences while keeping theatre live. Leaving politics and pandemics aside, Outside The Lines is the story of two people, whose lives are impacted through a chance meeting. Linda is a passionate volunteer out to save the world, while Harrison is a charismatic but self-centred and irresponsible artist not even interested in saving himself. Full of wry humour that explores the consequences of living within and outside the boundaries of convention and expectation, Outside The Lines reaffirms that there is always room for friendship, compassion and growth. Playing Linda and Harrison are Carolyn Goff and Craig Martin. Carolyn delivered a powerful performance this past February as Maggie in the Borelians Community Theatre production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof and Craig has performed previously with Theatre on the Ridge in Art and God of Carnage Playwright Rob Corbett grew up in Uxbridge, was a founding member of the Uxbridge Players, and worked with both the Borelians and Scugog Choral Society in Port Perry before moving to Toronto. Rob has been a professional theatre artist for over thirty years working as a playwright, director, actor, and artistic director. His plays have been performed throughout Southern Ontario and in New York City. He holds an MFA in Creative writing from the University of British Columbia and teaches Scriptwriting and Acting at a number of colleges across the GTA including Sheridan, Seneca and Humber. This is the second work by Rob that has been presented by Theatre on the Ridge. In 2016, the company staged a reading of Frozen Assets, a delightful film noir detective farce. Tickets for Outside The Lines are $25, sold in advance, online only. Proceeds from ticket sales will support Arts at the Ascension activities and Theatre on the Ridge. Click Here for more information on Covid protocols and to purchase tickets.  Friday & Saturday, October 30th & 31st
leaving each evening on the half hour 6:30 pm, 7 pm, 7:30 pm & 8 pm from the Scugog Arts Space, 175B Queen St., Port Perry Hallowe’en is going to be different this year, but look no further for your scary fix than to join Theatre on the Ridge on an evening walk around downtown Port Perry. Our guides will escort you to various locales around Queen St., where our company members will entertain you with local, Canadian and classic tales full of suspense and macabre humour. There will be four tours each evening, leaving on the half hour starting at 6:30 pm from the Scugog Arts Space at 175B Queen St. in Port Perry. Each tour group will be limited to no more than 10 persons and current Covid safety protocols and procedures in accordance to Region of Durham guidelines will be maintained, including physical distancing. The wearing of masks by audience members is also strongly recommended. Tickets are $25/person, available online only and sales are limited to 10 persons/timeslot. Recommended for ages 12 and up. All proceeds from the Scary Story Walk will benefit the vision and programs of Theatre on the Ridge. For more event details, Covid protocols and ticket purchases click here.  It’s been quite the journey for Theatre on the Ridge over the past 6 years – from our launch as Theatre 3x60 with a production of Vimy by Vern Thiessen to our critically successful 5th summer festival season with 6 exciting productions last year. And, so much in between as well! – Durham Minifest one act play festival, Pine Grove Plots cemetery walks, many staged readings, ongoing community engagement with partners such Scugog Arts, Scugog Lake Stewards, the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation, Ontario Black History Society, Elder Abuse Ontario and Durham Regional Police Services…and now navigating our very future through a global pandemic.
We’re glad that so many of you have been part of Theatre on The Ridge from the very beginning and now we’re asking for your help in mapping out our next three years as we develop our next strategic plan. Unfortunately, we can’t meet in person at the moment to hear and share your feedback, so we’ve set up a short, confidential, 10 question survey to help us get started. We value your opinion, and appreciate the support you have given us in so many ways and we hope that you will participate in this important step in determining what the future holds for Theatre on The Ridge. All responses are confidential and will be used to develop the key strategies and actions that will see us go forward successfully over the next few years. The survey can be accessed here!  Big Theatre For Small Spaces Update! Please note the change of dates for The Grand To Do and for Food For Thought. All performances start at 7 pm and will take place outdoors in the rear courtyard of the Scugog Arts Space. We are going LIVE this summer! Theatre on The Ridge is proud to present its Big Theatre for Small Spaces series July 28 - August 14 Scugog Arts Space, 175B Queen St., Port Perry It’s been a long wait, but we will be presenting 3 unique live staged readings in the very intimate setting of the new Scugog Arts Space this July and August. In accordance with public health regulations, and in consultation with our public health advisor, we have modified our programming to bring you captivating theatre with your safety in mind. Our first production, running July 28-30 is a premiere reading of The Grand To Do by Belleville playwright Peter Paylor. Our second performance will be a mixed program titled Food For Thought, running August 4 - 6. The series will close with performances of The Huns by Canadian playwright Michael Ross Albert taking place August 12-14. All performances will follow public health measures regarding social distancing protocol, gathering size restrictions, and sanitization protocol. Performances will occur at the new Scugog Arts Space at 175B Queen Street, and will start at 7 pm and will run approximately one hour each. Tickets are $25 each and, due to current restrictions, are limited. They will be sold online, on a first come first serve basis only, and will be available at http://www.theatreontheridge.ca/ as of Monday, July 20th. Full production details at http://www.theatreontheridge.ca/whats-on.html  When Will We See You Again?
You are a vital part of the theatre we create and we want to share our work with you as soon as safely possible. Please take a moment to complete our audience response survey to help us gather again safely. Take the survey now! COVID-19 is impacting all Canadians, and businesses like Theatre on the Ridge in the performing arts sector are being hit especially hard. We’re not only looking at how we manage the here and now of a reimagined summer season, we also have our sights set on how we can get back to live theatre, and our audiences, as soon as it is safe to do so. To help us open our doors again, we have created a short survey to better understand what’s important to you, our audience, to engage in our programming again. Getting a better understanding of what you need to feel safe to return, and how COVID is impacting you will greatly help us plan for future programs and performances. This survey will help us serve you, and welcome you back, in these challenging times. We are counting on your valuable input and thank you for participating. The survey is confidential and should take you only about 5 minutes to complete. Take the survey now! The survey is now open and will close at end of day Monday, July 6th, 2020  Supporting Theatre on the Ridge does more than bring great plays to the stage! June is coming to a close and we’re coming to the end of the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, where every donation dollar is a chance for Theatre on the Ridge to win $20,000 and keep our programs happening! Did you know that the generous contributions from supporters like you have already helped us:
Learn more here! Monthly or one time only, we welcome donations large or small* through CanadaHelps. Especially in these uncertain economic times for the performing arts, every donation counts and even as little as $5 brings us closer to the $20,000 Great Canadian Giving Challenge donation prize! You can donate here now! If you have already made a donation – Thank You! Please consider sharing this call for support with someone who may also want to contribute to the valued work we are doing. Together, even through the pandemic, we can continue enrich lives through theatre on and offstage. *Any donation over $3 will count as a ballot, dollar for dollar, in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge, closing June 30th, 2020.   Join us for From Small Town to Big Theatre: Into The World of Professional Theatre, the next episode in our Big Theatre/Small Towns series
Host Graeme Powell converses with three up and coming theatre artists, Marissa Orjalo, Jack Copland and Liam Lynch as they talk about their experiences making the transition from student to professional actors, and the challenges, revelations and resources that have helped them to take on a career on the stage. A great listen and share for any aspiring actor and/or parents and friends of aspiring actors! Link directly to our podcast here! While you are on our site, please consider making a small donation to Theatre on the Ridge. Any donation made by June 30th increases our chances to win a $20,000 donation from CanadaHelps!  In response to the anti-racism protests now taking place, Theatre on the Ridge stands in full support of the need to take deliberate action to eliminate systemic racism and discrimination within the theatre community, and is committed to looking within ourselves to effect necessary change.
It has not been, nor has ever been, the intention of Theatre on the Ridge to cause harm or create an environment that is not supportive and inclusive to all. The Board of Directors and staff would never knowingly condone any action that would. Theatre on the Ridge, as an organization, does not support discrimination or racism of any kind, but we, as with many theatre organizations, have been made very aware that our passive approach is no longer enough. We will be taking immediate action to address this. Theatre on the Ridge is not an organization that identifies itself as all white and it is regrettable if this perception exists, locally or in the broader world. This perception is also, over the company’s short history, inaccurate. It is the hope of this company, that our actions going forward, along with due consideration of many of our past and current activities will eradicate this view. To this end, the company is committed to:
This has been a week of hard self-reflection for many individuals and organizations in the theatre world. Theatre on the Ridge intends to stand among those who have made the choice to grow for the benefit of all. We will continue to listen, learn and do better. If you would like to contribute your support or add to the work that Theatre on the Ridge is undertaking through its strategic planning, please continue to follow the conversation through our newsletter and social media over the next several months or contact us at info@theatre3x60.ca. Dr. Amy Barron, President of the Board of Directors As the Artistic Director of Theatre on the Ridge, I have been challenged this week. It would have been easier to believe that the large events and anti-racism protests taking place in the greater world are bigger than myself or this small company, that the voices needing to be heard are not needed in the small community that I live and work from. That our own voices, added into the growing collective volume will not make a difference.
And then… my eye is caught by a car racing by. My eye is caught because the car has a large confederate flag conspicuously waving, like a banner from the back of the car, and I realize that no one is exempt and my voice does have a place. This, and so many other realizations acknowledged and not, remind me that there really has never been a choice. It has only been the conscious choice to act and do the hard work myself that has been put off until now. The mission statement of Theatre on the Ridge states that it sees theatre as a tool to engage, to shift complacency, and to provide growth to its participants. That we support theatre as a place for refraction, reflection, revelation – to inspire a more responsive, responsible community that, through theatre, will realize the value of connections as they gain broader understanding and empathy. I, and Theatre on the Ridge, remain committed to this mission statement and recognize that we have only been passive, not active in the realization of this mission in all levels of our organization. We acknowledge the necessity of adding our voice to the fight against systemic racism and discrimination in our own community, and elsewhere. We are about to undertake our next strategic planning process and will prioritize strategies and actions that foster and encourage a positive inclusive environment for BIPOC artists and theatre practitioners so that all voices can be welcomed, shared and heard. Carey Nicholson, Artistic Director/General Manager  Join us this month
as we launch our very own podcast series! In this time of self-isolation and social distancing, the need for connection becomes a priority and we miss connecting with our audiences, artists and community. Big Theatre/Small Towns explores the connection of big theatre ideas growing in small towns and vice versa with hosts Graeme Powell and Amanda Jane Smith. They’ll be chatting with guests from all walks of the theatre community, from near and far, about topics such as the resilience and magic of live theatre, playwriting for and in rural communities, the attraction and potential of regional theatre making, making the transition from local theatre to professional theatre training and career, and more. Our first episode airs June 3, with guest Jeannette Lambermont-Morey, renowned director and master teacher. Jeannette will be familiar to Theatre on the Ridge audiences as the director of our powerful Festival 2020 production of Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe. Watch for new episodes each Wednesday through the summer. June 3, 7 pm From Large to Small, Theatre Will ALWAYS Be With Us with guest Jeannette Lambermont-Morey Click here to listen and learn more! All of our "ridgecasts" are free of charge and also available on Spotify and iTunes but after listening, please consider making a donation to Theatre on the Ridge, especially in June. Why? Click here for details on how you can help us win a $20,000 donation from CanadaHelps!  It’s June and time once again for
The Great Canadian Giving Challenge! Here’s how we all win …and maybe win big! If you’ve been thinking about making a donation to Theatre on the Ridge, this month is the perfect time to do it. This year, your support will mean even more to us. Without our summer festival and the ability to present outstanding, captivating live theatre to generate much needed revenues, we’re working hard just to keep the doors open, so that we will be ready to hit the stage once again when it is safe to do so. When is that? No one knows for sure, but everyone does agree that the performing arts industry, which felt an immediate impact of the global pandemic, will also be the last industry to return to operation. That’s a loss for everyone, so please, if you can, turn this into a win/win with your donation, large or small. Here’s how… Every June, CanadaHelps supports Canadian charities with the Great Canadian Giving Challenge. This year, for 2020, and in recognition of its 20 years of operation, CanadaHelps has put $20,000 on the line. For every $1* donated to Theatre on the Ridge during the month of June, we will receive one ballot into a draw for a $20,000 donation from CanadaHelps. Donate now Here’s another great reason to support us now… Several of our free online summer programs get underway this month. If you’re planning on taking advantage of any of these fantastic outreach programs or catching one our Big Theatre/Small Towns podcasts, consider making a suggested donation, or a donation* in any amount. Not only will you be supporting the program and sharing time with us, you’ll be adding to the total number of ballots we can enter into the Great Canadian Giving Challenge draw. Thank you very much, if you have already helped us through these difficult times with a donation. Please consider helping just a little more by sharing this message with your friends and fellow live theatre supporters. Remember, just one donation may win us $20,000! Donate Now *Any donation over $3 will count as a ballot, dollar for dollar.  We hope you are all safe and adjusting to the new realities of life in a global pandemic world. At Theatre on the Ridge, we have been adjusting too and are excited to let you know that, although we won’t be live onstage this summer, we are still committed to bringing captivating theatre experiences to our audiences and communities. Here are just a few programs we’re rolling out in June. Watch for more to come and stay with us as we keep working to bring more performance based events to you as well! Looking for a way to help us make all this happen? All of our program offerings this summer are available free of charge, but we're encouraging you to consider a donation to support keeping the doors open and the programs coming. Click here and learn how your donation of any amount in June could help us win a $20,000 donation through CanadaHelps in the Great Canadian Giving Challenge! Big Theatre/Small Towns Join us on Wednesdays in June, as we launch our very own podcast series! Hosts Graeme Powell and Amanda Jane Smith, and guests from all walks of the theatre community explore the connection of big theatre ideas growing in small towns and vice versa. For details and podcast schedule click here! After listening to any of our "ridgecasts" please consider making a donation to Theatre on the Ridge, especially in June. Why? Read about the Great Canadian Giving Challenge here. Follow Spot/Single Spot Coaching Sessions Are you considering a career in the arts or plan on pursuing theatre as a profession? Or maybe you know someone who is? Or just curious about how to get on stage in a local production? We may be unable to run our regular Pre Professional Performance and Apprenticeship programs this summer, but Theatre on the Ridge is still dedicated to fostering performing arts in Durham Region and is excited to announce Follow Spot and Single Spot Coaching Sessions. Follow Spot is a one on one, social distance correct, online coaching program that pairs youth (aged 16-21) interested in a performing arts career and Single Spot connects new & curious theatre lovers of all ages with one of our mentors for a single private Q & A session to get them on the way to taking the first step on stage. Learn more details and register here. Cut & Paste Theatre Creation/Scrapbook Stories Yes you can make theatre! We’re taking a classic theatre training and composition exercise and switching it up as an easy self expression scavenger hunt for literary enthusiasts and closet thespians of all ages. Known in conservatory programs as a vocal masque, this is “cut and paste” theatre creation at its best! We give you the tools, and you pick the theme, gather the materials and do the assembly to make an original piece of theatre. We even have a junior version, Scrapbook Stories for families and younger creatives! Intrigued? Learn more here about this unique approach to theatre creation here! DIY Theatre Workshops Have you ever wanted to get backstage or behind the scenes to try your hand at props making, scenic painting or costumes? What about lighting or sound design? This year we can’t bring you to the theatre, but we can bring the theatre to you…sort of! Welcome to DIY Theatre Workshops, a general interest production skills video series designed for budding stuck at home theatremakers. These short, learning sessions are fun, informative and hands on. In DIY Theatre you’ll be introduced to basic production skills and create and build simple projects with materials you likely already have in your own home. We’ll start with basic set design and keep going until the “stage” is ready. This is a great free creative learning experience for pretty well any age and for parents to explore with children. Learn more here!  The organizers of Giving Tuesday, usually held each year in the first week of December, have recognized the great need for support for charities at this time and have created Giving Tuesday Now on May 5th to cope with the dramatic challenges now being faced by not for profits across the country. At Theatre on the Ridge, we are very appreciative of the many gestures of support already made and can assure our patrons and friends, with your continuing support, that every donation, large or small, does make a difference. Our primary goal right now is to keep the doors open and cover our monthly operating costs. Modest as they are, it’s not easy when we have lost all projected earned revenues for the forseeable future. That’s where Giving Tuesday Now comes in! And this IS the easy part. We don’t need heroes or extraordinary measures. Just ordinary theatre lovers and Theatre on the Ridge patrons doing what they do in normal times – purchasing tickets to our plays. On May 5th, the simple act of redirecting your intended Festival 2020 ticket purchases into a donation will go along way to getting us through this year. At the same time, why not tell us which show from our not-to-be Festival 2020 season you will miss the most! Cottagers & Indians, Cyrano de Bergerac, God of Carnage or Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott? We’re challenging our audiences to let us know on May 5th! Mention the name of your most anticipated production in the comments section of our donation form and let’s see which production receives the most donations! We’ll announce the winner at the end of the day and as an added bonus – you’ll help ensure that our Festival 2020 productions will return, as all funds raised will be directed to the production you supported through your generosity! With your help on Giving Tuesday Now, May 5th we can keep our doors open, create programming to see us through social distancing, and continue to enrich lives through captivating theatre. Thanks so much for staying with us!  It’s been an extraordinary time for all of us. There have been so many changes in such a short period and we are all travelling unknown roads.
For Theatre on the Ridge, the change was immediate and dramatic. Almost overnight, we lost all our spring events and ultimately we have lost entire our Festival 2020 summer season. The summer season is the annual artistic and financial cornerstone of our company and our single largest source of earned revenues each year. As a not for profit charity, Theatre on the Ridge faces the devastating impact that this loss of revenues will have on our ability to operate for the remainder of this year and we will feel these effects well into 2021. With no ability to earn revenues through live theatre presentation and no clear timeline on when it will be safe to gather together in theatre spaces again, it is very hard to predict the future for Theatre on the Ridge. Live theatre exists in the spaces where we gather - where we come together to share an experience and journey collectively into the worlds created by playwrights, actors and theatre artists. We return safely from those worlds with souvenirs to continue sharing with ourselves, and our fellow travellers, long after the actual event. We cannot make live theatre at this time. We can only keep the ghostlight on and try to keep the engine running until we can return to our stages and performance spaces to greet our audiences and travelmates once more for new destinations. In support of the work of charities in these uncertain and everchanging times, Giving Tuesday is now taking place in one week’s time. Over the next week we will share some of our past journeys and memories on Facebook as a reminder of the unique contribution we have made to our arts and larger communities. Share them with us and then, please consider making a donation in support of Theatre on the Ridge on Tuesday, May 5th to help ensure that we will journey together again.  Theatre on the Ridge announces the postponement of Festival 2020 productions as originally scheduled, with revised online programming being planned due to Covid 19.
In the interest of public health and the safety of our patrons, artists, and production personnel, and in accordance with current emergency and public health restrictions regarding Covid 19, Theatre on the Ridge has made the difficult decision to put its Festival 2020 season on hold. The four productions announced for the festival, now in its 6th year, will no longer run as scheduled. The productions are Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor, Cyrano de Bergerac adapted from the original play by Edmond Rostad, God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, and Innocence Lost: A Play About Steven Truscott by Beverley Cooper. At this time, the productions have only been postponed, not cancelled; however, no revised dates have been set. Patrons who have purchased a Patron’s Pass will be contacted directly in the near future with more information and details on their options. In spite of the devastating blow to the company’s summer plans, Theatre on the Ridge will not be dark, but will continue to reach its audiences and supporters online with glimpses into creative processes, performances through the digital revival of the radio play format and interactive learning experiences for all ages. One upcoming project will involve the engagement of the larger community to collectively share and document the experiences of this unprecedented time. Details of this revised season of summer “productions” and programs will be announced over the next several weeks. To learn more details about the changes to the summer season, follow Theatre on the Ridge on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or visit us here.  To our Patrons, Artists, Supporters and all members of the Theatre on the Ridge community,
As the situation around the Coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves rapidly, the response from Theatre on the Ridge at this time is to monitor and stay up to date with guidelines, recommendations and requirements of the federal, provincial and municipal governments and health authorities. We will assess and act on the situation as it evolves and the health and well-being of our communities, audiences, artists, staff and volunteers is of the highest priority. With these parameters in mind, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our participation in small town BIG: Scugog Arts Festival, scheduled for May 1 – 10. Even if public space and movement restrictions are lifted by that date, and the festival is able to proceed, the nature of our offerings is such, we are unable to rehearse or prepare for any of our 3 events at this time. Please note that, while our small town BIG dates are cancelled, the programs themselves (Stag and Doe, Monsters & Milfoil, and T’eatre, Tea and Treats) are only postponed and we plan to present them at a later date, yet to be determined. At this point we are also monitoring the longer term impact of Covid 19 on our Festival 2020 season. We are still hopeful that summer theatre will take place but, as we are all becoming increasingly aware, the status quo changes quickly almost daily, and we anticipate that some programming modifications may occur. We will keep all our community, particularly our patrons and artists, informed as promptly as possible of any significant changes to our summer plans. This is a difficult time for all of us, as individuals and for Theatre on the Ridge, with the arts being one of the sectors affected most immediately and profoundly by the current health crisis. The cancellation of our small town BIG events will have a decidedly negative impact on essential revenue generation needed to support our theatre work and community engagement. Thank you for your past support and I encourage you to continue and possibly even increase your commitment, not only to Theatre on the Ridge but to any arts organization in need. Donations of any size are extremely welcome at this time and can be made through CanadaHelps here. In theatre, and in life, action happens when ordinary people are thrown into extraordinary situations. In theatre, the outcome is either farce or transformation. In the real life drama that is now playing out globally, we are hoping for transformation. Best wishes, stay safe and be well.  Scugog has a new arts and culture event happening this spring from May 1st to May 10th. The Scugog Council for the Arts is launching the first Small Town BIG: Scugog Arts Festival and Theatre on the Ridge will be there with 3 exciting events to entertain theatre lovers of all ages.
Opening at the Prince Albert Community Hall on May 2nd is Stag and Doe, an exuberant comedy by Mark Crawford, featuring company members Demi-Lee Bainbridge, Duncan Gibson-Lockhart, Frances Loiselle, Lexi MacRae, Daniel McCormack and Michael Williamson. With Stag and Doe, Theatre on the Ridge shares a laugh-filled look at the well known and distinctly rural Canadian prenuptial tradition staged in Scugog’s very own Prince Albert Community Hall and shines a light on the nature of love, marriage, and weddings. This ticketed production will run for 5 performances only on May 2, 7, 8 at 7:30 pm and May 9 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Purchase tickets for Stag and Doe here! On Tuesday May 5th, Monsters and Milfoil: A Tale of Lake Scugog returns with 2 performances (11 am & 1:30 pm) at Town Hall Theatre. Monsters & Milfoil will entertain pre-school to primary/junior elementary age youngsters and share the history and importance of Lake Scugog through interactive fun and song. First presented in 2018, this original production was made possible with the support of the Scugog Council for the Arts in partnership with the Scugog Lake Stewards. Monsters and Milfoil is being presented free of charge during Small Town BIG through the generosity of Vos’ Independent Grocers. Doors will open 30 minutes prior to show time. More details here! Looking for the perfect Mother's Day outing? Make plans to include T'eatre, Tea and Treats: Costume Show and High Tea on May 10th, 2 pm at Utica Memory Hall. Enjoy an exclusive viewing of select costumes from the collection of Theatre on the Ridge, while enjoying scones, tea, entertaining commentary and door prizes, which include tickets to Festival 2020 productions. All ticket revenues and proceeds will support the programs of Theatre on the Ridge. Purchase T'eatre, Tea and Treats tickets here! Full details and events listings for Small Town BIG can be found at https://scugogarts.ca/small-town-big/ |
