Who:
The Young Ruffian Apprenticeship Program is for theatre artists aged 14 – 20 who are interested in developing existing skills and learning new and exciting tools geared toward devised theatre and collective creation. We invite artists who self-identify as actors, directors, dramaturgs, playwrights, and creators and who are keen on working with an ensemble to apply. This year we will be looking for creators to apply to one of 3 streams: a) Performance b) Directing/Dramaturgy, and c) Production. Everyone will work together for all sessions, and all participants can perform as little or as much as they decide to, this will just help us identify what kind of roles you might be interested in working on and to better understand your breadth of interests as an artist!
When:
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10a.m. – 2:30p.m.
Beginning July 16th and culminating in performance(s) to take place on select evenings as a pre-show to the mainstage Shakespeare in the Ruff show.
(Performance dates are August 23rd and 24th.)
The schedule of the final week is also TBD to accommodate the Tech of the mainstage show.
Where:
Withrow Park (Near Danforth Avenue and Logan Avenue in Toronto’s east-end)
What:
The Young Ruffians will be tasked with responding to Shakespeare in the Ruff’s mainstage show The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers with the goal of creating an ensemble-based piece(s). Directed by Kwaku Okyere, The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers combines Shakespeare’s original text with new writing by Makram Ayache, and explores the events leading up to “The Tempest” as we know it. “A Witch in Algiers” explores the history and relationships between Prospero, Ariel, Caliban, and his mother Sycorax (spoken of but unseen in Shakespeare’s play), and grapples with themes of colonization, appropriation, family, and sacrifice.
The creation(s) coming out of this program will be performed as a pre-show presentation for The Tempest: A Witch in Algiers on performance dates August 23rd and 24th.
Throughout the program, the Young Ruffians will also participate in weekly mentorship sessions with members of the company. Potential areas of mentorship include but are not limited to stage management, producing, education, directing, lighting and design, costuming, and dramaturgy.
How:
Participants will meet twice per week for 6 weeks. Each week, guest instructors from the Toronto theatre community as well as the Young Ruffians facilitator will guide the ensemble through new approaches, techniques, and exercises that can be used in collective creation. Participants will then experiment with these tools and use them as a jumping off point to create a piece of theatre as an ensemble.
Sessions will develop ensemble-driven skills such as:
- Using objects, sounds, and images as prompts for creation.
- Using physical theatre techniques to explore collective creation.
- Working with ‘group mind’ to find and develop impulses particular to the ensemble.
- Using sound/song to create soundscapes that allow for deeper investigations into the collective interests.
- Exploring approaches to creating non-narrative text as a way of investigating and supporting the group interests.
