One Night Stands Are Back!

They’re fresh on the scene and incredibly promising, would you like to meet them?
Join us for a One Night Stand reading of works in progress and experience the future of local theatre.

Sarasvàti Productions is thrilled to be remounting the popular One Night Stand series; a series dedicated to readings of new plays in development. This time, we have engaged theatre director and producer Tatiana Carnevale to bring the event into 2016.

“I think this idea is so much fun and I am excited to introduce it to the next generation of theatre artists!” said Tatiana, who has confirmed Prairie Theatre Exchange as partner and venue host for the series.

Each One Night Stand will take place in PTE’s Colin Jackson Studio.  The evenings are designed to showcase excerpts of new plays, which will be read on stage by an ensemble of local actors.

“Each night will have five or six different scenes featured. Sometimes it will be work that has never been heard before; sometimes it may be a scene that is giving a playwright a particular bit of trouble; it may be something an author wants feedback on”,  said Tatiana, who is excited to see the response to the Call For Submissions. “Depending on the submissions we get, some nights may have a theme, like ‘monologues’ or ‘scenes by playwrights under 25’. We are open to receiving all kinds of submissions as well as ideas!”

“I am very excited about the opportunity to hear a bunch of new work in the same place – each evening will be a fantastic sampling of the wide array of emerging talent Winnipeg has to offer.” Tatiana believes the Series will fill a niche in this city. “There are other events that happen in Winnipeg that are full play readings or workshops. However there’s no event that allows playwrights and audiences to test new material and each other… I think it’s going to be a lot of fun!”

Sarasvàti will also be looking for volunteers to lend a hand.  “Even if people aren’t playwrights there will be tons of opportunities to get involved!”, explained Tatiana.

The modern One Night Stand Series will premiere on February 2^nd. If you interested in being involved, check out the Call for Submissions and contact Tatiana. Entrance to each event will be by-donation so that it can be accessible to everyone wishing to take part.

Workshops to the Rescue!

There are two things are inevitable for an Artist – grant writing and taxes.
Do you ever find yourself wondering…
-Which grants am I eligible for?
-Are there grants I should be applying for?
-How do I write a grant??
-Should I be filing my taxes as an Artist?
-What can and can’t I write off?
Do you then turn into an ostrich because it’s nice and quiet under the sand?

Writing grants and filing your taxes can be incredibly intimidating, but the benefits can most certainly outweigh the costs, so Sarasvàti has put together a workshop to help. It is just the first in this year’s series of workshops to support emerging artists!

On Sunday November 20^th from 2pm-5pm come on down to the 4^th floor classroom at ACI and we will get you started at the Grant Writing and Taxes for Artists Workshop.

Martine Friesen from Manitoba Arts Council and Dominic Lloyd from Winnipeg Arts Council will present on the grant programs each of their organizations offer, who is eligible and how you apply for them, particularly as Emerging Theatre Artist’s.  You will also have the opportunity to hear a presentation by an expert on filing taxes as an Artist. Presentations will be followed by ample time for Q&A with the experts.

Cost is $15. Registration deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 9th. Register with Angie at associate@sarasvati.ca or by calling 204-586-2236.

And that’s not all! Check out what we have in store for the rest of our workshop season.

Auditioning for Theatre 101
This May, Sarasvàti Productions Artistic Director Hope McIntyre delivers a concise workshop on auditioning for theatre targeted to beginners.

Artistic Directors Audition Panel
This spring, Sarasvàti Productions will bring the Artistic Directors of some of the major theatres in Winnipeg together for an audition info panel.

Coffee with a Pro
This informal mentorship series continues with dates and Artists to be announced throughout the season. Send us an email if there’s an established Artist in your field that you would like to talk shop with.

The One Night Stand Series returns!
Sarasvàti Productions is pairing up with PTE and MAP to produce a series of readings of new works in progress. The series will begin in January with specific dates to be announced. Playwrights can submit excerpts from a work in progress to be read by actors in front of an audience at Prairie Theatre Exchange’s Colin Jackson Studio Theatre! It is being coordinated by Tatiana Carnevale. The first One Night Stand will take place on Tuesday February 2nd at PTE’s Colin Jackson Studio.
Stay tuned for more information and check out these photos from last year’s Workshop Series!

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Fefu and Her Friends: Final Two Talents!

Have you got your tickets to the Winnipeg premiere of Fefu and Her Friends yet? Better hurry! This compelling story will come to life in just over one month and tickets are selling fast. Written in 1977 by Cuban American playwright Maria Irene Fornes, Fefu and Her Friends is recognized as a feminist piece for its use of an all-female cast, central ideas of gender roles, its bold deviation from conventional theatre and for its unique staging. It is a theatrical experience for women and men alike! On today’s blog, we are pleased to feature the final two members of our all-female cast. Tracey Nepinak will play the role of Emma and stage veteran Megan McArton will lead the cast as the one-and-only Fefu! Look familiar? You may recognize both these woman from the world premiere of Jail Baby last spring! Sarasvàti Productions is incredibly pleased to have them on board once again. Keep reading to find out more.

Tracey Nepinak has appeared in: Good People, The History of Manitoba from the Beginning of Time to the Present in 45 Minutes (RMTC); Jail Baby (Sarasvàti); Ernestine Shuswap Gets her Trout (Firehall Arts); The Moving Gallery: Beyond Reconciliation (Urban Indigenous Theatre); Romeo & Juliet, Silverwing, The Happy Prince (MTYP); The Rez Sisters, Great Expectations, fareWel (PTE); The Sleeping Land (Globe); Cruel & Unusual Punishment (Theatre Projects); The Crisis in Oka,Manitoba (As the Bannock Burns).

 

Megan McArton is delighted to be working on another Sarasvàti production. Her experience last year in Jail Baby was enjoyable and enriching. She has just finished performing in Harvest at PTE and is looking forward to summer.

These two local actors are keeping busy! Tracey can currently be seen in RMTC’s Good People and Megan closes PTE’s Harvest this weekend. Dying to know more? Keep reading to get the inside scoop and find out what these stars would take  with them if they were stranded on a desert island.

 

Where would you love to travel?

TRACEY: Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.
MEGAN: Australia and New Zealand.

What would you do if you won a million dollars?

TRACEY: Get off the grid.
MEGAN: Share with others.

If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would they be?

TRACEY: Cigarettes, matches, chocolate covered almonds.
MEGAN: 2 friends and a box of books.

Fefu and Her Friends will run from May 22nd-June 1st inside the beautiful Ralph Connor House (54 West Gate). With only 60 seats per performance, there is no better time to book your tickets then right now. Our print-at-home ticket option makes the process incredibly simple! Did we mention you can also choose to have them mailed straight to your door? And don’t forget Mother’s Day is just around the corner on May 11th! Give the gift of live theatre to that special woman in your life. In fact, take her out for a night on the town! Grab a bite to eat, stroll down the beautiful streets of West Broadway, admire the old character homes and then catch Fefu and Her Friends! We guarantee it’ll be her most memorable gift yet.

 “I had never seen intelligence and intuition, history and character, environmental and realistic theater, narrative and experimental techniques combined in such an extraordinary way.” -Oskar Eustes

 

Fefu and Her Friends: Meet the Cast!

 

Gender roles, sexuality, loneliness, isolation, and entrapment – these are just some of the themes explored in Maria Irene Fornes’ Fefu and Her Friends which we are thrilled to be bringing to life this spring! We are also incredibly excited to work with our cast of 8 local female theatre artists! With opening night less than 2 months away, we felt it was about time to begin introducing the members of our cast. Today, we are happy to feature Julia Arkos who will take on the role of Cecilia and Nan Fewchuk in the role of Paula. Keep reading to find out more about these two female talents and stay tuned over the next few weeks as we continue to feature the rest of our cast!

Julia Arkos was last seen on RMTC’s Mainstage as Kate in “Other People’s Money” and as Karen Weston at the Warehouse in “August: Osage County.” Theatre credits also include productions with: Soulpepper Theatre (Toronto), Kaleidoscope Theatre (Victoria), Playwrights Theatre Centre, The Arts Club, Mothership Collective (Vancouver), MTYP, WJT, TPM and PTE. Film and TV credits including leading roles in: “Choke”, “Heaven is for Real”, “Lucky Christmas”, “Less than Kind”, “Eureka”, “Dead like Me” and “The X-Files”.

Nan Fewchuk is truly pumped to be working with this stellar group of women in such a thought provoking, innovative play. Last year Nan assistant directed, Jail Baby, and then produced and played Rozetta Stone in the Winnipeg Fringe Hit, Dog Act. Select credits include Peter Pan, Beauty and The Beast (Rainbow Stage), The Merry Wives of Windsor (SIR), Magpie, Fen (Sarasvati), Or, Eleemosynary and A Phoenix Too Frequent (Winnipeg Fringe).

And now for a little bit of fun. We wanted to give our audiences the chance to get to know our actors so we asked them a few questions for you! Take a look at Julia and Nan’s responses.

 What is your favourite play?
JULIA: Currently in love with “Tristan and Yseult” by Kneehigh
NAN: The Stone Angel

 What role would you love to play one day?
JULIA: Goneril in “King Lear” I guess.
NAN: Lady Bracknell

If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?
JULIA: I wouldn’t; and you wouldn’t want me to.
NAN: A mash up of Oh, Canada and American Woman.

If you were on an island and could only bring 3 things, what would they be?
JULIA: I’m not really a deserted island kinda gal.
NAN: Yoga mat, a good book, and my readers. If there were no Customs on the island, I would throw in a very expensive bottle of red wine.

Fefu and Her Friends will run from May 22nd – June 1st inside the beautiful old heritage building operated by The University Women’s Club of Winnipeg (Ralph Connor House, 54 West Gate). Tickets are $15 for students and seniors and $20 for adults. This is a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience you won’t want to miss and with only 60 seats per performance it is bound to sell out fast! Click here to purchase your tickets online today or give us a call at 204-586-2236.

 

 

SYTYCA 2013 – Scene Announcement!

An Elvis impersonator finding his long lost daughter, sibling rivalry, an absent father and a domineering mother; family conflict will be on display at the second annual So You Think You Can Act. With just over six weeks to go until our 2nd annual fundraising evening, we are pleased to announce the scenes to be featured with our stunning list of celebrities! For the uninitiated, So You Think You Can Act pairs local celebrities with theatre actors to perform short scenes, to be evaluated by a hilarious panel of judges! The winning pair will ultimately be decided by the audience – just like on the hit dancing competition show! This year’s theme is Family Ties and will feature some of the best and most prolific scenes in the Canadian canon.

• Winnipeg personality Jon Ljungberg will be donning some mutton chops as an Elvis Presley impersonator in Sharon Bajer’s Burnin’ Love.
• Olympic bronze medalist Desiree Scott will be playing out sibling rivalry in Norm Foster’s hilarious Maggie’s Getting Married. Foster is one of Canada’s most performed playwrights.
• CBC morning host Marcy Markusa will be tackling the dowdy daughter in Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, which was a huge hit when it ran at RMTC Warehouse last season.
• For something a bit darker and edgier Jenna Khan of Breakfast Television fame will tackle George F. Walker’s Risk Everything.
• A scene from local playwright Rick Chafe’s hit play The Secret Mask will be performed by Ron Paley of Ron Paley’s Big Band. The play ran to raves at PTE last year and this season was picked up for productions in Ottawa and Vancouver.
• Another local playwright Brian Drader will have a scene from his piece The Norbals performed by World Champion curler Jeff Stoughton.
• Kerri Salki of Clear 102.3 will be performing a scene from Daniel MacIvor’s Marion Bridge, another Canadian favourite.

So You Think You Can Act: Family Ties takes place on February 20, 2013 at the Gas Station Arts Centre. Tickets are $25 and include a wine reception. Get them while they’re hot @ www.sarasvati.ca!