Western Ontario Drama League |
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- Update from the President of WODL
- WODL General Meeting - Sunday 17 October 2021 - 11.00 am - on Zoom
- Update Group President and Group Delegates Information
- Free Presentations from Off the Wall for WODL Members
- Financial Advice from the WODL Treasurer
- Update on COVID Precautions for Theatres
- Community Theatre in the WODL Region
- Off the Wall - Fall 2021 Weekend Workshops
- New Plays from the Playwrights Canada Press
- Playwrights Guild of Canada - Canadian Play Outlet
- If you are producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out
- Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date?
- Dates for your Diary
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Update from the President of WODL |
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September included two more great theatre experiences. We started at the Stratford Festival with a tour of the new Tom Patterson Theatre – a beautiful space designed for actors, designers, technicians and audience. After lunch, we saw Serving Elizabeth under the tent. Our next stop was the St. Catharines Golf and Country Club for the opening night of the Foster Festival’s The Ladies Foursome – sitting in golf carts arranged in a semi circle, eating a box supper and watching the performance. You can see the tech booth behind the golf carts.
As our theatres return to “normal”, I am hopeful that we’ll also present theatre in interesting spaces.
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What’s Next For WODL
WODL in 2021-2022
- Terri Graham, Ken Menzies and Bev Dietrich are developing a program of workshops to support us as we re-open. Until gathering is easier, the workshops will be virtual.
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We are all missing gathering to watch each other’s productions and then discussing what we have seen while consuming tasty beverages and munchies. Sue Garner suggested that, as each group announces their shows, we could have an informal WODL night for each play. We thought that – opening night (usually a Friday) would be a good night – recognizing that as we become busy with our own productions, it will be harder to find a night to travel. So we encourage you to post your performances on the WODL Facebook page – please identify your opening night. Our webmaster Mary Jane Walzak will post your performance information to the WODL web page. As we did before the pandemic, I am looking forward to seeing productions around WODL. Thanks Sue!
WODL in 2022-2023
At the September board meeting, we began discussing what 2022 – 2023 could bring for WODL. At the end of our first discussion, we are expecting that we will be able to have traveling adjudications. It is much less clear to us what Festival 2023 could be. Options include the traditional five-play Festival, a shorter Festival or a theatre weekend with workshops, theatre experiences and an opportunity to visit. And, we’re hoping that we’ll also be able to offer an annual workshop program. We’ll review the workshop program at the February 2022 General Meeting. This will include an open discussion and planning for future years.
We need your input to inform our decisions about Festival 2023, so at the General Meeting on October 17, 2021, we’ll have an open discussion. Considerations will include potential hosts, financial considerations for both participating groups and the host groups. Your area VPs will also be gathering information.
The contact information for the area VPs is:
WODL General Meeting – Save the Date
Our next General Meeting is on Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 11:00 am via Zoom.
Watch for information and minutes from the February 2021 General Meeting from our secretary, Pam Niesiobedzki-Curtis.
Highlights include:
- Terri Graham will present updates on her team’s program for supporting WODL members as they reopen in 2021-2022
- An open discussion about WODL Festival 2023
I look forward to seeing you in October.
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WODL General Meeting - Sunday 17 October 2021 - 11.00 am - on Zoom |
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About three weeks before this meeting, Invitations will be sent to all the presidents, and delegates, of member groups.
All members in good standing with a WODL member group are entitled to attend this meeting and to vote at this General Meeting.
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If you want to attend this meeting and have not received an invitation, contact the secretary to the WODL board at secretary@wodl.on.ca.
In your email please include your full name and member group affiliation (no acronyms) and whether you are a group delegate, group member, or other.
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You will receive instructions on joining the meeting and copies of the meeting materials, a few days before the General Meeting.
If you have any questions about this General Meeting:
We look forward to having you join us!
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Update Group President and Group Delegates Information |
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WODL communicates with our member groups through the group presidents and the group WODL delegates--two delegates from each group. These people can then pass the information on to the rest of their group membership. Presidents and delegates also receive personal invitations to the WODL general meetings and to the AGM.
Now is a good time to update this information. Make sure that the formal general meeting invitations are sent to the current holders of these positions.
So, presidents and delegates, if you are hiding out there, we need to hear from you!
So if you are the president, or you have been appointed a delegate for your group, please do the following:
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- Your name
- The name of the theatre that you represent
- Your position: president or delegate.
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- Your postal address
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Your contact information will only be used for official WODL purposes. |
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Free Presentations from Off the Wall for WODL Members |
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Great news!
Off the Wall has arranged two on-line Set Design presentations, free for WODL members.
The first, on October 23rd, features Scenic Designer David Court, who will focus on set design principles.
The second, on October 30th, brings in Theatrical Carpenter Jeremy Cox to discuss, with David, how to take the design from the Page to the Stage.
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Financial Advice from the WODL Treasurer |
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As we adventure into the pandemic recovery, with all the attendant restrictions and audience concerns, here is some help, if you wish:
I can help member groups with determining their break-even point, fiscally: the number of paid ticket sales required at any given ticket price or mix, to return enough revenue to break even.
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Update on COVID Precautions for Theatres |
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The most significant development this month is the Ontario Ministry of Health’s release of “Proof of Vaccination Guidance for Businesses and Organizations under the Reopening Ontario Act.” Currently at Version 2 – September 27 (updated since its initial release on September 14), the guidance outlines how business must review and confirm the proof.
The requirement is twofold: certification of vaccination (demonstrating two doses fourteen days prior to the event) and proof of identity, specifying the types of identification that are valid for the latter.
Among the specified exemptions includes volunteers entering for “work purposes” and not as patrons. Community theatres may still include the requirement for their volunteers at their own discretion, but there is no obligation.
Most valuably, it includes information about handling medical exemptions from vaccination, and how to review proof of an exemption.
The guideline is also clear that no records should be retained.
Currently the guidance covers the period until October 22, which is when the enhanced digital vaccine certificate with unique QR (Quick Response) code that will verify vaccination status when scanned is expected. It is somewhat unclear if the digital vaccine certificate will become the mandatory approach for business to verify status, or whether a paper-based process will still be acceptable.
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Community Theatre in the WODL Region |
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Several WODL member groups are keeping active during this time. A good place to find out about these activities is on the WODL Facebook page, WODL | Facebook. Most of the announcements are at fairly short notice, so check in often!
If your group is putting on an event that you would like included in the November newsletter, please send the information to communications@wodl.on.ca.
Guelph Little Theatre:
Guelph Little Theatre opens its first post pandemic play Swordfish on November 4, 2021. For more information visit guelphlittletheatre.com.
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Off the Wall - Fall 2021 Weekend Workshops |
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By Michele Boniface, Chair, Off the Wall Stratford Artists Alliance, mboniface@cyg.net
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Hashtags: #stratfordoffthewall #theatreproduction #backstage
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New Plays from the Playwrights Canada Press |
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Check out these plays coming soon from Playwrights Canada Press:
A dark comedy about the nature of faith.
A true, empowering story of the untold secrets of motherhood.
A meta musical about the Vietnamese diaspora, embodied by pho.
Playwrights Canada Press has recently released new editions of ebooks of classic Canadian plays! Click here for more information.
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Playwrights Guild of Canada - Canadian Play Outlet |
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Every month you can take a look at the newest unpublished and published plays available!
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If you are Producing Canadian Plays this Season - Check This Out |
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The Playwrights Guild of Canada publicises productions of Canadian-written plays through its website, www.playwrightsguild.ca.
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Is your WODL Membership Information Up-to-date? |
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Are you on the board of a theatre group that belongs to WODL? If your group has:
- A new President
- New WODL delegates
- A new Treasurer
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Deadline for submissions for the November newsletter |
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WODL Annual General Meeting |
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13 March to 18 March 2023 |
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11 March to 16 March 2024 |
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WODL Festival 2024, Leamington |
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This newsletter was prepared by:
Tricia Ward
Communications coordinator
WODL
Copyright © Western Ontario Drama League 2021. All Rights Reserved.
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