February 22, 2016 Nikka Collison, DJ Johnston, Justin Reesor and Jarrod Vandenbogaerde write: Never underestimate the power of footwork. The beginning of the week of Major Predictions, Barbara workshops was all about table work, and that makes sense given the nature of this project – a staged reading. Much of the work…

February 25, 2016 Caroline Coon, Sarah Bradford, Johnathan Clancy, and Daryl Hunter write: February 16: We entered Robertson Hall in the First Ontario Performing Arts Centre at 7:20pm with excited anticipation. The cue to cue was well underway so we made sure to enter as quietly as possible. This was our first time wit…

February 26, 2016 The cast of Spelling 2-5-5 has embarked on a fun and educational journey travelling from school to school performing for grades 4-8 across the Niagara region. Spelling 2-5-5 promotes a better understanding of children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and the issues they face both at hom…

March 2, 2016 Linda Duong, Brendan Farley, Chloe Lemay, Kaitlin Morrison, Rachelle Scott, and Demetri Tsioros write: We started with a meeting with director Danielle Wilson and have observed fight intensives and fight choreography with Jamie Treschak. Now, in our last posting, we, the six embedders in Good Night Desdem…

Three years ago, my friend and occasional director Keavy Lynch, artistic director at Empty Box Theatre Company, texted me saying she needed actors for a directing class assignment, and that she had “dibsed” me. That was my first encounter with the world of Waiting For Alonzo and my character, Bielke. It was a different…

Charlie Gallant (center) and company in Peter and the Starcatcher. Photos: David Cooper Adeline Huffman, Haley Labbé, Katelyn Lander, and Jessica Laurie-Robar write: “It feels like just yesterday I was looking at this set in a little shoe box!” exclaims Katelyn Lander while looking at the stage, as we prepare to watch…

William Vickers in The Dumb Waiter. Photo: Sandy Middleton Mark Harrigan writes: Walking into the rehearsal hall, I was greeted by the set and lighting designer, Nigel Scott. Wilson had mentioned Scott in our first meeting and we had seen his set designs, but this was the first time I had the chance to meet him. He sat…

Emma Mackenzie Hillier and Joshua Stodart in Wings of Wax. Photo by B Squared – Barry Smith. Trelawney Erwin, Jennifer Dewan and Oriana Marrone write:  It’s been hatched, nurtured, and it’s ready to leave the nest. Let’s watch ECT’s Wings of Wax get ready to fly… or better yet, soar. On Thursday, February 19, we sat in…

Norris, McDonald, McCurdy-Meyers, MacLeod, Pizzingrilli, and Dufault at the Town Hall. Photos by David Vivian. Elizabeth Amos, Christian Lange, Nicole Mitchell, Osasu Oke, and Josh Sanger write: With “Wellness Week” just having drawn to a close at Brock University, and exams looming on the horizon, there couldn’t have…

The STRUTT runway appears! DARTcritics Connor Chabot and Alex Franks stopped by the WS Tyler factory last week to see how preparations for STRUTT were coming along. They found that the runway — where all the action happens — was starting to take shape.          Intriguing parts of art works and live acts are starting t…