What:
Young Ruffian participants will meet twice per week for 5 weeks in Withrow Park. Each week, guest instructors from the Toronto theatre community as well as Shakespeare in the Ruff company members 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.
The Young Ruffians will be tasked with responding to Shakespeare in the Ruff’s mainstage show Richard Three with the goal of creating an ensemble-based piece(s).
Throughout the program, the Young Ruffians will also participate in weekly mentorship sessions with members of the Richard Three company. Potential areas of mentorship include but are not limited to stage management, producing, education, directing, lighting and design, costuming, and dramaturgy.
The creation(s) coming out of the Young Ruffian program will be performed as a pre-show presentation before Richard Three on select performance dates.
More about Richard Three: Written/Directed by Patricia Allison and performed by an ensemble of three actors, Richard Three is a Disability focused reimagining of Shakespeare’s Richard III. Set in a multiverse in which two ideologically opposing Richards must work together to secure the crown.
Each Young Ruffian is paid an honorarium of $500 for their participation.
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 three streams:
a) Performance
b) Directing/Dramaturgy,
c) Production.
Everyone will work together for all sessions, this will just help us identify what kind of role you might be interested in working on!
When:
July 18th – August 26th
Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10a.m. – 3p.m.*
Pre-show performances August 25th and 26th at 7pm
* YRAP schedule leading up to performances are subject to change in response to the shifting schedule for Richard Three
Where:
Withrow Park (nearest intersection: Danforth Ave. and Logan Ave., east end of Toronto)