Writing for Young Audiences
Dates: March 5 and 6, 3pm to 5pm & April 6 and 7, 3pm to 6pm
Free: $45 f(Fee is not a barrier to anyone who might be interested/eligible)
This exploration will focus on guiding emerging and experienced playwrights in looking at what it means to write for theatre for young audiences. What is happening across the country and who is doing what? What are the different themes that one might explore? How does one decide what age to write for and how does this affect what you are writing, the language you use and who might be interested in producing it? We will talk about the responsibility you take on when writing for young audiences and how responsibility cannot turn into preachy theatre.
Most importantly we will discuss that writing for young audiences means that you are writing for an audience with the most vivid imagination of all but also for an audience that, when lied to, will disregard what you are giving them but when taken on a journey, will embark more fully than anyone could have expected.
Submission guidelines: Please send a cover letter describing your interest in the sessions, a biography and CV.
To: emma@playwrights.ca
Subject line: exploring practice Dean Fleming
Application deadline: February 18, 2015 at 5PM
Biography:
Dean Patrick Fleming was appointed the Artistic Director of Geordie Productions in 2005, taking over from Geordie’s Founding Artistic Director, Elsa Bolam. In his time at Geordie he has worked to uphold the mandate of creating thought provoking and engaging theatre for young people as well as working to expand the reach of the company’s work throughout Canada. For Geordie, he has directed, among others, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Shared Account, The Little Prince, A Christmas Carol, Smokescreen, Beethoven Lives Upstairs and Choe’s Choice. Other favourites include Apple, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Metastasis, Chain of Ruin and V-Cards.
As an artist outside of his leadership role at Geordie, Dean has worked in Montreal and toured across the country and into the United States performing for thousands of people. He has directed over fifty productions, some of which have toured to different regions in Canada. Dean has a BFA from Concordia University in Performance, has taught at Concordia University, ASM Performing Arts and continues to teach at the National Theatre School in Montreal. He has been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contribution to the Arts.
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