A one-on-one mentorship opportunity
For years Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal (PWM) and the Centre des auteurs dramatiques (CEAD) have worked to forge links between French and English language theatre communities and foster the art of theatre translation. To this end, the two organizations have once again partnered together to offer two individualized mentorships meant to familiarize playwrights to the craft of theatre translation. The mentorship described below is focused on French to English theatre translation. Details on the English to French translation component of this mentorship can be found on the CEAD’s website.
How the mentorship works:
- PWM will select 1 participant with an interest in French to English theatre translation;
- Over a period of several months, the participant will translate excerpts (roughly 10-12 pages) of two contemporary Québécois plays selected by the CEAD;
- Over several weeks, the participant will receive a total of 12 hours of dramaturgical support from acclaimed playwright and theatre translator Alexis Diamond;
- The participant will have the opportunity to discuss their translations with the original playwrights;
- The mentorship will culminate in two 4-hour workshops during which professional actors will read and discuss the newly-translated excerpts;
- The participant will then have the chance to meet with the second participant as well as both mentors to present their work and discuss their experiences;
- After the workshops, the participant will submit their final drafts of the translated excerpts to the CEAD.
Who can apply?
- Montreal-based playwrights with a strong interest in French-to-English theatre translation;
- The candidate must have excellent writing skills in English and have fluent comprehension of Québecois French;
- Playwrights with little to no experience in theatre translation are encouraged to apply;
- Applicants must have a minimum of two professionally produced pieces or Fringe productions.
Application Guidelines
Send your application, documents, as well as any questions you may have to Harris Frost at harris@playwrights.ca.
The deadline to apply is Monday, October 26th at noon.
Please include the following attachments (preferably as PDFs) in your application email:
- Your artistic CV and/or bio;
- A brief cover letter outlining your interest in this mentorship and in French-to-English theatre translation more generally.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
October 26th
Application deadline.
November 4th
Participant selected and provided with excerpts.
November – March
Several meetings with translation mentor, translation of excerpts and meetings with playwrights.
Before March 6th
2x 4-hour workshops of translated excerpts and final meeting with other participant.
Biography of Alexis Diamond
Alexis Diamond is a Montreal-based playwright, opera librettist, translator and theatre curator. Her award-winning plays, operas and translations for audiences of all ages have been presented across Canada, in the U.S. and in Europe. She also collaborates with several international artists on performance-installations involving text, movement and sound. In 2019, Alexis Diamond served as co-artistic director of the Jamais Lu festival, where she also presented a bilingual play, Faux-amis, with co-author Hubert Lemire, with support from the CALQ. In 2018, Alexis joined a multiyear project led by professor Erin Hurley (McGill University) on the history of Quebec’s English-language theatre.
This mentorship is made possible by:
