Theatre Wakefield – A history of community engagement and creativity
Theatre Wakefield emerged from public consultations held by the Wakefield United Church's Outreach Committee and the Wakefield Ensemble in late 2001. Theatre in Wakefield and the region has subsequently become a cherished instrument for community building and change, and a facilitator of understanding and engaging the history, dynamics and challenges of our community. Theatre Wakefield uses theatre as a place of training and learning with special emphasis on involving young people and networking with schools.
The Wakefield Players is Theatre Wakefield's “much greater than the sum of the many talented parts” performing group.
Theatre Wakefield is a member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals as manager of the Piggy Back Fringe the last week of June in downtown Wakefield.
Mainstage Productions by Wakefield Players – written and directed locally
§ MUCH ADO ABOUT LIZZIE. October 2002. A new script in a new genre – Community Comedy – Original Script by Scott V. Daly
§ A SPLASH QUITE UNNOTICED. November 2003. Family drama by Scott V. Daly.
§ TRAIN’S LABOUR LOST. November 2004. The second Community Comedy addressing development issues
§ CABARET CIVIL. April/May 2005. A musical about the 2001 Summit of the America’s in Quebec City.
§ KING BEER. – November 2007. the final episode in the “Wakefield Trilogy”.
Other Mainstage Productions by Wakefield Players
§ OFFICE HOURS. May 2006. by Norm Foster
§ THE ODD COUPLE - The female version. October 2006. by Neil Simon
§ CORKER. May 2009. by Wendy Lill
International Theatre Festival
§ 1st Annual Piggy Back Fringe. June 29 and 30 2008. Eight acts, three venues
§ 2nd Annual Piggy Back Fringe. June 28, 29 and 30 2009. Fifteen acts, four venues and dedicated Steam Train service for Ottawa patrons.
Dramatic Readings (in support of community projects)
§ A CHRISTMAS CAROL. December 2002.
§ SCENES FROM AN EXECUTION. May 2003.
§ THE HORSE. September 2003.
§ Whoppers Radio Plays. April 2004
§ DARFUR AFTER DARK, November 2004,
§ CRUSADER OF THE WORLD and HEROES. February 2005.
§ ALEXANDER GRAHAM I WANT TO HAVE YOUR LOVE CHILD. December 2005
§ AN ACRE OF TIME. February 2006.
§ CRIPPLE OF INISHMAAN. June 2007
§ GOLDILOCKS ON TRIAL. February 2008
§ MOO. November 2008
§ A CHRISTMAS CAROL redux à Low, Wakefield and Chelsea United Churches. Dec 2008
Community Animation
§ LESTER B. PEACE GATHERING - against the invasion of Iraq. March 2003.
§ DRAGONJest – just jesting. January 2004
§ "ARE YOU IN THE SCRIPT?" – blatant Wakefield Players recruitment stunt – Canada day July 2004
§ WAKEFIELD IDLE – the long overdue showcase for Wakefield’s top talent. June 2006 and 2007.
§ OUR HIDDEN HILLS – local history animation project in Low, Wakefield and Chelsea. Nov 2008 and April 2009
Training
§ Workshop on Stage Management. February 2004.
§ Writers Workshops on new play development April, 2004
§ Creating Your Own Performance workshop by Bryan James - April 2004
§ Soundboard Operator workshops by Louis Rompré – November 2005
§ Parminou Workshops and Stagecraft workshops – 2006 - A three month series of acting training workshops with Parminou Theatre
§ Write Direction workshops began in January 2006 and continue as part of a writer’s development project.
§ Murder Mystery Theatre Workshops by Dan Lajoie. January & June 2007
§ Makeup Workshop by Robert Willson. February 2007
§ Front of House Management - Brenda Rooney. June 2009.
§ Script Analysis - Jeff Culbert Ausable Theatre. June 2009.
§ Contact Improvisation - Jonno Katz Epic Worlds. June 2009.
Theatre Programming – Productions from elsewhere
§ MARY’s WEDDING. October 2003. Geordie Productions from Montreal
Media
§ “Cabaret Civil – the Musical” - CD of the oirignal score - 2005
§ "It Takes a Village to Make a Poet" - DVD Tribute to Wakefield poet Phil Cohen. Containing 70 poems as text and 30 animated videos with 6 songsters lending their skills...Phil Jenkins, Lindsay Ferguson, Ian Tamblyn, Doug McArthur, Sean Rompre, Alise Marlane - spring 2009
