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TEACHERS COMPANION Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario April 3 to October 28

FESTIVAL THEATRE

SAINT JOANBY BERNARD SHAWGrade 8 & up

MACK AND MABELBOOK BY MICHAEL STEWARTMUSIC AND LYRICS BY JERRY HERMANREVISED BY FRANCINE PASCAL

Grades 6 & up

HOTEL PECCADILLOBY GEORGES FEYDEAU ADAPTED BY MORRIS PANYCH Grades 9 & up

ROYAL GEORGE THEATRE

THE CIRCLEBY SOMERSET MAUGHAM Grades 9 & up

THE PHILANDERERBY BERNARD SHAW Grades 8 & up

SUMMER AND SMOKEBY TENNESSEE WILLIAMS Grades 9 & up

COURT HOUSE THEATRE

A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY AFTER TURGENEVBY BRIAN FRIEL Grades 9 & up

THE CASSILIS ENGAGEMENT A COMEDY FOR MOTHERSBY ST JOHN HANKIN Grades 8 & up

TRISTAN BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY PAUL SPORTELLI AND JAY TURVEY Grades 9 & up

THE KILTARTAN COMEDIES BY LADY AUGUSTA GREGORY (LUNCHTIME) Grades 7 & up

Fal l Edit ion, August 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...• Design Career

• Teacher Q&A

• Fall Student Package

BOOK YOUR SCHOOL TODAY! 1- 80 0 -511-7429

Presented by

2007 SEASON: “FABULOUS ... IT’S A TREASURE”CBC Radio One, Here and Now

FALL FOR THE SHAW Special Matinees are still available – all seats $22 for students.

Another way to save: Half-price tickets for students ($27.50) at any regularly-priced performance at the Festival Theatre.

Special offer: Half-price student tickets are also available for the September 18 and October 2 performances of Summer and Smoke at the Royal George Theatre. (Half-price tickets at the Festival and Royal George Theatres are subject to availability, Balcony B seating)

To book, call 1-800-511-7429

Saint Joan “A splendid Saint Joan for our time”– CANWEST NEWS SERVICE

Mack and Mabel “Sheer magic … an astonishing piece of work” – TORONTO STAR

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Summer and Smoke“The American master [Tennessee Williams] and this Canadian institution are meant for each other” – GLOBE AND MAIL

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TEACHERS COMPANION FALL 2007

Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED AT THE

SHAW FESTIVAL?

This is my fifth season at The Shaw and my second as Assistant Designer. During my first three seasons, I worked as a Scenic Art Assistant prepping scenery, assisting in the completion of paint finishes, paint mixing, and helping to maintain and clean the paint shop.

Q: WHAT DOES AN ASSISTANT DESIGNER DO?

Mainly I assist The Shaw’s Design Director, William Schmuck, but I also assist other Shaw designers as needed. I shadow the whole creative process, and my assignments are project-based. A typical day might in-clude drafting a set, building a model, as-sisting with fabric swatching, or researching costumes and props. Occasionally I may paint a prop, touch up a piece of scenery, or help a seamstress hand baste trim or lining to a garment.

Q: WHAT SKILLS ARE MANDATORY FOR THIS

KIND OF WORK?

Adaptability! If you are flexible, there is a lot you can do. Drafting, good spatial sense, the ability to draw two dimensional images and create three dimensional objects are good skills to have. A willingness to research and find answers to things you don’t know is also very important. A key component of production design is being able to commu-nicate your ideas to the artisans who build or paint the sets, props, and costumes. Dis-cussions that are supported with visual aids enable the artisans to easily interpret ideas.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST SATISFYING ASPECT OF

YOUR JOB?

I find research satisfying. Interpreting someone else’s drafting and building a scale model, a representation of what the design-er wants. To be one of the first to bring a designer’s idea into tri-dimensional form is also very satisfying.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF

YOUR JOB?

I don’t have a lot of background in costuming so I’ve had to research the period of clothing

and the differences between cultures, sea-sons, and economic classes. With costume design you are still applying the principles of aesthetic (such as colour, texture, line, shape, etc.) and enhancing the mood/atmosphere of the play. The challenge is knowing how the fabric and cut of the costume will physi-cally interact with the actor. This has been a steep learning curve for me. Not only am I learning the terminology of construction techniques, but also how these techniques af-fect the movement of the garment on stage. You can enhance or restrict the motion of the costume. This movement combined with the aesthetic choices made affects how the audi-ence perceives a character.

Q: WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT

YOU HAVE DEVELOPED ON THE STAGE?

I make a lot of models of sets. A model doesn’t interact with humans. I like to see the set in relation to the people, their objec-tives and the action on the stage.

In an organization as large as The Shaw it is beneficial to venture outside the design studio. By visiting our scene shops you see ideas come to life, and by being aware of how our marketing, development, and au-dience services departments operate you see how many people are involved in the success of each season.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR TRAINING? IS POST-SECOND-

ARY EDUCATION NECESSARY TO WORK IN YOUR

FIELD?

Yes, post-secondary education is a require-ment. I did a double major in Theatre and Visual Arts at Brock University. I have also done intensives with One Yellow Rabbit and NaCl Theatre (North American Cultural Laboratory) and I got my Bachelor of Edu-cation at Queen’s University through their Artist in Community Program, which is geared towards practicing artists.

Q: WHAT LED YOU TO CHOOSE A DESIGN CA-

REER?

I was always interested in design and in-volved in theatre in high school, mostly doing behind the scenes work. At the end

So you want a career in the theatre!OUR CONTINUING SERIES HIGHLIGHTING CAREER OPTIONS IN THEATRE PUTS TYLER SAINSBURY, ASSISTANT DESIGNER, IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

of my second year of working in the scene shop, I met with The Shaw’s Design Direc-tor to ask if there might be a job for me in the design studio. There wasn’t. I went away to Queen’s University to study and when a work-study opportunity came up, I asked if I could gain my experience in The Shaw’s design studio. This gave me the opportunity to try out this type of work and led to the position I now have.

Q: HOW DOES A DESIGNER CREATE THE WORLD

OF A PLAY?

A designer supplies the environment. My job is to help communicate the designer’s vision. The source for creative inspiration is the script. You start with your reaction to the script and the director’s vision for the play. The script provides you with informa-tion about the location, such as whether you are in a garden or in a drawing room and the time of day. A designer chooses the aes-thetics and sets the mood.

Q: WHAT SHOULD A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STU-

DENT DO IF THEY ARE INTERESTED IN A DESIGN

CAREER?

Just go for it! Make the leap. If you don’t already have a background in art, there are 8-month and 1-year college/university pro-grams that you can enrol in which will pro-vide you with a basis in aesthetics. If you know that design is what you want to do then go ahead and apply to a university or conservatory program; this will provide you with the specific skills needed to operate as Production Designer. Take in a lot of the-atre and learn by observing. There’s no one way to become a designer – everyone arrives at their destination by a different path.

Tyler Sainsbury. Photo by Jeff Priest.

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TEACHERS COMPANION FALL 2007With the support of

Teacher Pat Baiano from Lakeshore Catho-lic Secondary School in Port Colborne, On-tario, is a loyal supporter of The Shaw and its student programme. We recently talked to Ms Baiano about the benefits of bringing students to the theatre.

Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMING TO THE

SHAW?

Including the years I taught at Notre Dame College School and Lakeshore Catholic Sec-ondary, I’ve been taking my students to The Shaw for over 20 years.

Q: WHAT DO YOUR STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN AT

THE SHAW?

During our visit in April we took a back-stage tour, which included a stage skills session with Judy Farthing, the Production Stage Manager. This session was great as it exposed my grade 12 acting and technical students to a day in the life of a Stage Man-ager as well as the overall role and respon-sibilities of Stage Management. After the tour, we attended the matinee of the musi-cal, Mack and Mabel.

Q: WHAT FACTORS DO YOU CONSIDER WHEN

CHOOSING ONE OF OUR PLAYS?

I first look at the season’s lineup to see what might be of interest for my students. It’s important to find the right fit for each class and to make sure the play is accessible, suit-able, and enjoyable for them. It really de-pends on the individuals within each class and what’s going on for them as a group. A factor to consider is how long I’ve worked with a group. What I choose for my grade 9 class may be completely different to what I think the grade 12s will relate to.

Since we did the musical Cabaret at Lake-shore Catholic this year, Mack and Mabel seemed the best choice for us. The students thought Mack and Mabel was fantastic; they loved it! They especially liked the fact that the story was based on real people.

After attending a play, I have the students write a critique of the performance which allows them to focus on the various aspects of the creative experience such as costumes, lighting, and the acting. This also allows

Interview with teacher Pat Baiano

FALL INTO SHAW STUDENT PACKAGE IS NOW AVAILABLE!Experience the magic of theatre with a full day of programming for your class. The day includes a backstage tour, a technical or creative workshop, plus a pre-show chat with members of The Shaw Company, lunch and a matinee performance.

Choose one of the following workshops:

SLAP ON! SLAP OFF! A slapstick comedy workshop for all those class clowns! Learn about the history of silent film and the popular techniques of slapstick with cast members of Mack and Mabel, a musical about the early days of cinema. Suitable for grades 6 and up.

EXPERIENCE DESIGN Explore the elements of perception and design. Students will learn the various considerations involved in the scenic design process. Activities include reading and breaking down a storyline, then constructing a 3-D ‘Mood Box’ which will express students’ metaphorical and perceptual concepts of the story. Suitable for grades 9 and up.

ACT OUT! Learn how to punch, kick, fall, and roll to create the illusion of fighting for the stage. Explore the world of stage combat in the safety of a staged situation. Active participation and characterization is encouraged! Suitable for grades 8 and up.

SPEAKING THE PART Speak with a British accent! Ever wonder how actors change their dialects between characters? This workshop will focus on how to apply the techniques of Royal pronunciation and Cockney dialects. Suitable for grades 6 and up.

Cost: $46 per student. Offered in conjunction with Special Matinee performances.

Book a class trip today – call the Group Sales Office at 1-800-511-7429.

them to express their likes and dislikes, which is important.

Q: WHY DO YOU INVEST THE TIME, ENERGY, AND

FUNDS TO BRING STUDENTS TO LIVE THEATRE?

It’s very important to provide students with the opportunity to experience live theatre! It’s definitely worth the time and money. I feel that students should experience the high quality and professional standards of the Shaw Festival, which is right in our own backyard! The Shaw is so close, we should all take advantage of it.

Q: HAVE YOU (AND YOUR CLASS) EVER USED OUR

STUDY GUIDES? IF SO, WHAT DID YOU AND THE

STUDENTS FIND USEFUL? In the past, we’ve used the study guides and found the background information to the play very useful. The guides are a great way for us all to learn more about the play before and after attending the performance.

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TEACHERS COMPANION FALL 2007

Education Sponsor

Explore scenic design with experts from The Shaw in this full day workshop. Sessions will focus on balancing the technical elements of perception and design with smart choices that fit into a school’s budget.

Cost: $80 per person (plus $7.50 handling charge), includes all taxes. Optional evening performance of Mack and Mabel: $27.50

Register online at www.shawfest.com/teachersday. You can also print the registration form from The Shaw website and fax to 905-468-3804 or mail to: Teachers Day, Shaw Festival Box Office, Box 774, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, L0S 1J0.

Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call Group Sales at 1-800-511-7429 ext 62 or email Rod Christensen, Senior Manager, Education at education@shawfest.com.

SCHEDULE9:30 am Registration 9:45 am Welcome10 am Backstage tour of the Festival

Theatre or Scene Shops11:30 am Session #1 with Tyler

Sainsbury, Assistant Designer1 pm Lunch in The Shaw’s Green

Room2 pm Session #24:30 pm Wine & cheese wrap up8 pm Mack and Mabel at the Festival

Theatre (optional)

THE PORTABLE SHAWThe Portable Shaw programme

brings theatre professionals into your

classroom to teach students valuable

skills for the stage.

Workshops include:

• Prop Building

• Playwriting

• Acting

• Improvisation

• Movement or Choreography

• Lighting

• Sound

• Millinery

Cost: $75 ($50 within Niagara)

If you are interested in booking a

Portable Shaw visit, contact Rod

Christensen at 1-800-657-1106 ext

265 or education@shawfest.com

Professional Production Day for TeachersFRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Shaw Festival Study GuidesSTUDY GUIDES ARE FULL OF BACKGROUND INFORMATION, RESEARCH ARTICLES AND CURRICULUM-BASED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. HERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE MACK AND MABEL STUDY GUIDE

To print the Study Guides, visit www.shawfest.com and select “Study Guides” under “Education”. A CD copy of the Study Guide will be sent to you when you book a class visit to The Shaw. Study Guides are available for the 2007 productions of Saint Joan, Mack and Mabel, and Summer and Smoke.

The technology for silent films was invented circa 1860 and was a popular form of entertainment until the turn-of-the century. Most films were silent before the late 1920s.

Mack Sennett was famous for many things. He was called a movie mogul, master of fun, the man who introduced Charlie Chaplin to the world, and an innovator of slapstick comedy. In Mack and Mabel we witness the rise and fall of Mack Sennett and his comedienne protégé Mabel Normand as they fall in love, rise to fame, and create movie history.

Mabel Normand is sometimes credited with throwing the very first onscreen pie-in-the-face. Visual and physical humour were often used to convey a silent film’s story as well as entertain audiences. ‘Pratfalls’, such as the now famous pie-in-the-face or slipping on a banana peel, are classic examples of slapstick.

Slapstick describes a school of comedy that centers on characters being physically abused (e.g., hit, slapped, poked, tripped, etc.). Silent film borrowed slapstick comedy from American vaudeville. Slapstick made a successful transition to the silent screen where the lack of dialogue made subtler forms of comedy more difficult.

History of the Slapstick: Slapstick comedy is derived from the Commedia dell’arte, which was an Italian style of improvised comedy based on stock characters and employed a great deal of physical abuse and tumbling, popular in the 16th–18th centuries. The “slap-stick”, which dates back to the Renaissance, was made of two flat pieces of wood fastened at the base to form a handle. When one of the boards was struck against something solid (e.g., another person) one board would strike the other, making a loud cracking sound that created the illusion of someone being struck much harder than they actually were. Theatre historians suggest that slapstick comedy has

Look familiar? This sign is, perhaps, the most lasting symbol of Hollywood, and also the creation of Canadian-born Mack Sennett.

been present in comedic genres since the ancient Greek and Roman theatre and was revitalized in the Middle Ages.

Mack and Mabel: Did You Know?