Author: Playwrights' Workshop Montréal

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Public Reading: Katherine Turnbull’s Translation of 21 by Rachel Graton

Translated through the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators.

Date: Friday, January 24, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM
Venue: PWM Studio, 7250 Clark St Suite 103, Montreal, QC  H2R 2Y3
Please note that PWM is not located in a fully accessible building. Our space is only accessible via a flight of stairs (nine steps). More accessibility information here.

This is a FREE event. Donations help us keep our programming free to artists, and will be gratefully accepted at the door.

Join us for a free public reading celebrating the culmination of a year-long translation mentorship between Katherine Turnbull and acclaimed theatre translator Maureen Labonté as part of the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators.

This reading will take place as part of a week-long workshop of the translation, with translation dramaturgy by Maureen Labonté, direction by Emma Tibaldo, and featuring the performances of Kathleen Stavert and Masha Bashmakova.

Please RSVP by emailing heather@playwrights.ca: There is limited seating available, so reservations will be first come, first served.

Synopsis of 21 by Rachel Graton

Sara’s job is to help troubled teens with a host of issues. Like Zoe, an angry fifteen-year-old with a tendency to run away. Now, how to get her to open up and begin the journey of personal growth and healing when she doesn’t trust adults? “I hear you like basketball.”

Content advisory

The following are mentioned as opposed to depicted in the play:

Drug and alcohol abuse, sex, unplanned pregnancy, abortion, sex work, homelessness, mental illness, troubled teens, social services

Accessibility Information

You can find accessibility information about our space here. Please let us know if you have any accessibility requests when you RSVP so we can do our best to accommodate them. Some accessibility request examples include, but are not limited to: Reserving a seat close to the front, on an aisle, or close to the exit; reserving a seat for a support person, etc.

About the Translator

Katherine Turnbull is a writer, translator, theatre creator, and actor. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts [Honours] in Acting with a minor in French Studies from the University of Windsor. Based in Montreal, she works in French and English in theatre and film. Katherine is fascinated by the messy and complex aspects of life, and so she explores the nitty-gritty of humanity in her projects.

In 2021, Katherine translated La nuit du 4 au 5 by Rachel Graton, commissioned by Talisman Theatre. The resulting translation, The Night From the 4th to the 5th, has recently been shortlisted for the Tom Hendry Best Drama Award. In May 2022, Talisman Theatre presented it as a digital reading, which has since won awards at the 2023 Snow Leopard International Film Festival (Madrid, Spain) & Sweden International Film Festival for Best Drama, Best Black and White Film, and Best Stage Play. It also received four (4) nominations at the 2023 MAGMA Film Festival (Best Feature & Experimental Film, Best Directing, Best Original Concept, and Best Ensemble).

This reading and program are made possible with support from the Cole Foundation.

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Meet the 2025-2027 AMPLIFIER Playwright

A pink background with the headshot of 2025-2027 Amplifier participant, Charles Gao. On the top right, in blue, the word Amplifier. Below it, in white, the years 2025-2027. Below that, a light blue block with the name Charles Gao written in blue.
WE’RE THRILLED TO INTRODUCE Charles gao AS THE RECIPIENT OF AMPLIFIER, A SUPPORTED EXPLORATORY CREATION PROCESS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS.

A dancer and now theatre artist of Asian descent, Charles Gao’s breaking journey began in 2008 with the Queen’s Recreational Breakdance Club in Kingston, ON. Leading the club, he expanded its reach, and founded an annual streetdance festival, attracting artists from Canada and abroad. Now performing internationally and in shows such as “REVOLUTION”, he has trained with top breakers in Korea, the US and Europe, winning championships in Finland, India, Japan, and Canada.

In 2018, Charles enrolled in Concordia’s Performance Creation program, blending dance and theater to reimagine his artistic practice. He collaborated as a movement designer and performer in “Maric on the Lake” directed by Cathia Pagotto, and is currently writing his new play, “Welcome to the Digital Desert.” These experiences and conversations with theater-makers continue to shape the trajectory of his artistic career. 

Photo credit: Vickie Grondin

About the project

A new theatrical creation interrogating the Internet, Welcome to the Digital Desert (working title) examines the consequences the Internet has had on our bodies and what that means for our humanity, and then dreams about what the Internet could be. It questions the extreme distancing from the tangible reality of our everyday tools, in particular the Internet, and how this normalized ignorance enables our subjugation in online spaces.

How can society take back the Internet? 

The story follows Bobbi, a lasagna recipe hunter. She’s stuck in a world owned and operated by DYCON, experiencing it through the Dynet, a perfect AR world. Almost all value has been extracted out of the underclass of humans. It’s where the only time that matters is the time spent on the Dynet. When her funds run out, she has to participate in DYCON’s live-streamed therapy services to get basic essentials like SustainMii. A mysterious ethereal entity recruits Bobbi in a plot to take down DYCON. Meanwhile, the play subjects its audience to ads, sponsored content, and makes them complicit in violations of what we might call a right to privacy, unmasking the ways we relate to our technology. Lasagna is served as a key symbol, anchor for what is real and what is not, and Bobbi’s ultimate desire. 

AMPLIFIER is a program by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM), LA SERRE–arts vivants (LA SERRE) and the Conseil des Arts de Montréal (CAM) that offers a long-term exploratory creation process to a playwright working creatively in one of Canada’s official languages. This program offers artistic and financial support, including dramaturgical collaboration, a professional workshop with actors, and a residency leading to a presentation to programmers and peers.

The program aims to support the artistic practice of theatre artists who identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC,  racialized including 1st or 2nd generation immigrant artists (as defined in the Conseil des Arts de Montréal’s glossary) working creatively in one of Canada’s official languages. Additionally, it seeks to foster dialogue between Montréal’s English- and French-speaking theatre communities, as well as intercultural exchanges and greater representation for culturally diverse artists within the theatre community and on Montréal’s stages.  This is the third iteration of PWM’s Amplifier program; past alumni include Sylvia Cloutier and chadia.

In order to support artists creating in French and artists creating in English, CAM and La Serre offer this program alternately with the Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) in French (Résidence Voix Théâtrales), and with PWM in English.

this program is a partnership between
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Impact Creation 2024: Celebrating Creativity & Community

A collage of 10 square photos of various artists in various PWM programs.

At Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal, theatre creators are able to boldly explore their work – take risks, fail, and try again –  in order to bring innovative new works to audiences across the country. We understand the power of theatre to reflect and impact society, to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities, and to bring unique stories to light. 

We also know that the creative process needs time, space, and the support of a community. Shared effort from friends, colleagues, and collaborators is what allows theatre to flourish. We need your help to continue removing barriers, facilitating programs, and offering dramaturgical collaboration to make creators’ visions a reality. Every one of us has a part in this process. 

To help us continue to offer essential support to theatre creators, particularly those from underrepresented communities, allowing them to develop their craft and create work that innovates and inspires audiences across Canada, we invite you to support our end-of-year fundraising campaign, Impact Creation. Our goal is to reach $6000.00 in donations by December 31st: Every donation strengthens our ability to assist artists at each step of their journey.

365 CREATORS CLUB:
YOUR IMPACT WILL BE DOUBLED THIS DECEMBER!

Monthly donations help us respond to emerging project needs—a vital resource for artists. This December only, Chris Black and Paul Butler and the PWM Board of Directors have generously offered to match first-time monthly donations! And for those of you already donating monthly, please consider increasing your contribution: Newly increased monthly contribution amounts will also be matched in full for the duration of Impact Creation 2024! (For example, if you currently donate $15/month and increase your monthly donation to $18 in December, this will mean PWM will receive $36!). 

*New and increased monthly donations will be matched up to a total of $700 this December only; $250 in matches pledged by Chris Black and Paul Butler, and $450 from the PWM Board of Directors.

Why Stefanie Buxton, Actor and Playwright, Gives Monthly:

With a gift of $18 or more each month, you’ll receive a special gift of a published play* developed in collaboration with PWM, autographed by the playwright!

*Selection varies. Examples include Jabber by Marcus Youssef, Squawk by Megan Gail Coles, Instant by Erin Shields, Andy’s Gone by Marie-Claude Verdier and translated by Alexis Diamond, and Everybody Just C@lm The F#ck Down by Robert Chafe. This year, cockroach (曱甴) by Ho Ka Kei (Jeff Ho) will be added to the selection.

DONATE TO IMPACT CREATION

Each year, your donations support new theatre creation through:
– 30 play development workshops, where everyone is compensated for their contributions;
– 75 one-on-one dramaturgical consultations, including digital dramaturgy clinics, offered free of charge;
– 20 mentorships that connect artists with industry professionals;
– 2 national residencies where all travel, accommodations, and meals are provided;
– 4 professional development workshops for the artistic community to learn or hone new skills;
– Ongoing initiatives to strengthen accessibility and inclusion;
– And much more!

Whether you’d like to make a one-time contribution, or if you’d like to join our 365 Creators Club of monthly donors, your support is invaluable.

OUR INTERCONNECTED COMMUNITY CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Finally, PWM’s fundraiser has a tradition of celebrating the past year’s collaborations and achievements in the form of a crossword puzzle. You are sure to recognize plays and people in this puzzle, and if you don’t know an answer, that’s okay: we encourage you to look things up–It’s a chance to get to know your community even better!

Every correctly completed puzzle is entered into a draw, giving you the chance to win your choice of a published play developed in collaboration with PWM! Submit by December 31, 2024 for your chance to win! 

You can fill in the puzzle, print it out or take a screenshot, and email a picture of the completed puzzle to heather@playwrights.ca. 

Keep an eye on our social media in the month of December for some direct clues and answers!

Made by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal with the online cross word maker from Amuse Labs

Thank you for being part of this community: Your support means the world to us and to those creating new worlds through their art.

DONATE TO IMPACT CREATION

Banner photo credits, top row, left to right: Jordan Arseneault, Eric Noël, and Maureen Labonté during the 2016 Cole Mentorship for Emerging Translators program; Joy Ross-Jones in a workshop of زبون (tongue) by Panthea Vatandoost; Nick Carpenter and Aki Matsushita (2023 Cross Cultural Adaptation Lab); Symantha Stewart and Charity Adzie in Young Creators Unit Showcase reading of A Boy’s Love by Anton May; View of the Bonne Bay Aquarium and Research Station in Newfoundland and Labrador during the 2024 Gros Morne Playwrights’ Residency; Yvette Nolan and Todd Houseman in a workshop of Jordan by Yvette Nolan.
Banner photo credits, bottom row, left to right: Symantha Stewart and Ravyn R. Bekh in a workshop of the 2024 Queer Reading Series piece It Sticks to the Ryver by Corbeau Sandoval; Joy Ross-Jones, Cara Rebecca, Diana Uribe, Aladeen Tawfeek, Leslie Baker, Aki Matsushita, and Amelia Scott in a workshop of Fix by Joy Ross-Jones; Danielle Le Saux-Farmer, Aki Matsushita, Evelyne de la Chenelière, and Olivier Choinière at the 2024 Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac; The Fornés Workshop with Mariló Nuñez (2023 Exploring Practice workshop); Audience members attending the 2023 Young Creators Unit Showcase; Mathilde Perahia, Tiernan Cornford, Camila Ariza, and Sophie Gee in a workshop of Ülfet Sevdi’s Performing Motherhood (2023-2024 PWM + MAI Joint Support for Artists).

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2025 Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators

A green banner with two circles on its left side: one light blue, one dark green. In the middle of the circles is a white horizontal line. To the right is a blue box, with the words Call For Applications - Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators.

Since its inception in 2013, the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators has been guiding the next generation of French to English theatre translators.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15TH, 2025 AT 11:59PM EST.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility or require assistance with your application, please contact Heather at accessibility@playwrights.ca. Click here for more accessibility information.

With the skilled guidance of acclaimed translator Maureen Labonté and in partnership with the Cole Foundation, PWM has built a program that mentors emerging translators through every stage of their process in writing a new translation of a play. The successful applicant to this year’s program will receive a $2,000 honorarium and a mentorship with Maureen Labonté, including a workshop with actors and a public reading. The mentorship begins in March 2025, and lasts for approximately one year.

If you have any questions regarding the Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators, please contact heather@playwrights.ca. 

Who Can Apply?

PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.

To be eligible, emerging translators must reside in Montreal and have completed at least one translation which has received a workshop, public reading, publication or production. Because the focus is supporting emerging translators, the applicant must not have done more than three play translations. 

With What Play(s)?

Before applying for the Mentorship, emerging translators must choose the play they wish to translate and contact the playwright for permission: Establishing a connection to the play and the playwright in advance means that the applicant would be in a position to begin work immediately following the announcement of the selected project in late February.

Translations must be from French into English only. 

Full-length scripts, one-acts or TYA (theatre for young audiences) projects are all welcome. Please note, our experience does not extend to the translation of musicals.

Application Process

Fill out this Google Form by January 15, 2025. Click here to preview the application form as a PDF.  You will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Your name, pronouns (optional) and contact information 
  • A one-page letter of intent describing the project, its challenges, your reasons for wanting to translate the work, and how you hope to grow in your practice through the mentorship. PDF documents, video or audio responses are accepted. If submitting a video or audio response, please answer in one video/recording, maximum 5 minutes.
  • Your biography (maximum 250 words);
  • A copy of your chosen play;
  • Written permission from the original playwright of the play;
  • A 10-12 page sample of your previous translation work, please include the corresponding original text.
  • If you require any accommodations to participate in the program should you be selected.

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee.

All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of February 2025.

Apply Here
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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Building Your Grant Proposal with Jesse Stong

A banner with a center graphic in the shape of a circle: A headshot photo of the facilitator, Jesse Stong. The graphic is surrounded by dark violet horizontal lines and other circular shapes on top of a lilac background. On the right, it reads: Exploring Practice.
Application Deadline: Sunday, November 24TH, 2024 AT 11:59PM EST.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, or require assistance with this application, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca.

This online workshop will give participants the chance to articulate their project outlines with realistic timelines and budgets, with tips on writing innovative and authentic project proposals.

Participants will build the foundation of their project grant in a shared Zoom room, with collaborative feedback. They’ll learn more about where to apply and when, and how to build a clear and powerful application by developing compelling writing samples. By the end of this Exploring Practice, each participant will leave informed on how to seek diverse sources of funding, with guidance on partnership-building for the future of their proposed project. This workshop is infused with motivational insights, aimed to empower participants to not only write, but enjoy writing grant applications! Each participant will get one-on-one time with the facilitator for individualized support.

Participation is free. Workshop participants are selected based on the complementary experience of the collective group. We encourage all levels of experience to apply.

“Building Your Grant Proposal” is co-presented  by Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal (PWM) and the Quebec Drama Federation (QDF), with support from le Conseil de la formation continue (CFC).

SCHEDULE

Monday, January 13: 1 to 4PM

Tuesday, January 14: NO SESSION

Wednesday, January 15: 1 to 4PM

Thursday, January 16: 1 to 4PM*

Friday, January 17: 1 to 4PM*

LOCATION

Remote (Zoom)

*Please note that January 16 and January 17 are reserved for individual meetings, therefore participants will not be required to attend the full hours listed above.

NOTE: The workshop is participatory in nature. Those taking part should come to the workshop with a project/residency idea that they are genuinely interested in developing a grant proposal for. This idea can be fully developed or a seed of a new project. An integral part of this workshop is in supporting the ideas of others and contributing to the group discussions. Participants should be available for the duration of the time scheduled. 

HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, November 24th, 2024.

Questions about this workshop can be sent to leila@playwrights.ca with the subject line: Exploring Practice with Jesse Stong.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, or require assistance with this application, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca.

Click here for accessibility information and video tours of our location.

PWM welcomes all applications. While recognizing that the identity of each person is fundamentally plural, and multidimensional, we strongly encourage applications from artists who are: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), Black, POC, racialized (including recent immigrants), 2SLGBTQQIPAA+, neurodivergent, disabled, living with chronic illness and/or chronic pain. PWM is strongly committed to supporting a wide range of cultural identities and lived experiences, therefore we encourage applicants to self-identify in their application if they are comfortable doing so.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP FACILITATOR:

A headshot of the facilitator, Jesse Stong.

Jesse Stong (they/them) is a proud parent of twins, a graduate of Playwriting from the National Theatre School of Canada, and received a Master’s in Art Education from Concordia University. They are an award-winning queer creator, dramaturg, and educator. Over the years, Jesse has supported over 140 emerging Canadian storytellers as director of our Young Creators Unit.  Jesse also leads our New Stories Project for Neurodiverse Storytellers. Jesse is an occasional content creator/editor for Moment Factory, and was recently Manager of Children’s Programming for Watchmojo.com, Associate Curator for the National Arts Centre Disability Summit, and Host of the Montreal English Theatre Awards.

Headshot photo credit: Emelia Hellman

LEARN MORE ABOUT EXPLORING PRACTICE WORKSHOPS

PRESENTED IN COLLABORATION WITH

THIS WORKSHOP IS FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY

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Ostinato (I Would Prefer Not To)

A black and white photo of the hair of Strange Victory Performance members David Gagnon Walker and Tori Morrison. On a black background, written in white, the words Public Reading, Ostinato (I Would Prefer Not To) by David Gagnon Walker to the right of the photograph.

Written by David Gagnon Walker

Created and performed with Tori Morrison

A Strange Victory Performance

Developed in collaboration with PWM

Date: Friday, October 25, 2024
Time: 3 PM
Venue: PWM Studio, 7250 Clark St Suite 103, Montreal, QC  H2R 2Y3
Please note that Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal is not located in a fully accessible building. Our space is located above street level and is only accessible via a flight of stairs (nine steps). More info here.

This is a FREE event. Donations are welcome at the door.

This work-in-process reading will be the culmination of a week of exploration between David, Tori, Christian Barry and Fatma Sarah Elkashef and will be followed by a conversation with the playwright.

Please RSVP by emailing heather@playwrights.ca: There is limited seating available, so reservations will be first come, first served.

Synopsis

David and Tori tell two stories. One story is true and recent. The other is made up and old. One is about being a certain type of person with a certain type of mind. The other is about dealing with that type of person. They’re kind of the same story on a loop. Every song is kind of the same song. You know a song is over when it stops.

Content advisory

Mental illness, suicide

Accessibility Information

You can find accessibility information about our space here. Please let us know if you have any accessibility requests when you RSVP so we can do our best to accommodate them. Some accessibility request examples include, but are not limited to: Reserving a seat close to the front, on an aisle, or close to the exit; reserving a seat for a support person, etc.

About the Playwright

David Gagnon Walker is an award-winning writer, performer, and translator born in Edmonton and based in Toronto. His work has been performed and developed in cities across Canada, and through residencies in Sweden, Finland, France, Australia, and the USA. David’s interactive play This Is the Story of the Child Ruled by Fear has been touring since 2021, with twelve presenters to date including an upcoming Ontario Presents tour, and is published by Playwrights Canada Press. Other recent projects include Premium Content (Major Matt Mason Collective/High Performance Rodeo), The Last Children (Curtain Razors), and the English translation of Gabrielle Chapdelaine’s The Retreat (Imago Theatre). He holds an M.A. in Performance Studies from the University of Toronto, and is a graduate of the playwriting program at the National Theatre School of Canada. www.davidgagnonwalker.com

David is Artistic Producer of Strange Victory Performance, a collaboration with composer and production manager Tori Morrison. Their projects collide highly personal content with new performance forms and modes of audience engagement. While grounded in text-based theatre practices, their work has included artists and methods from music, dance, circus, visual art, and digital performance. SVP’s primary interest is the mystery of creativity: the movement from an impulse, to an image, to a structured artistic work, and how this movement can inspire, heal, and transform the human beings it passes through. 

This event has been made possible with support from PGC through the PlayConnect program.

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