The Fornés Workshop with Mariló Nuñez

More about d'Exploration des pratiques! Workshops

Application Deadline: Friday, October 6th, 2023 at 11:59PM EST.

Join Chilean-Canadian playwright, director, dramaturge and scholar, Mariló Nuñez , for The Fornés Workshop.

This decentered playwriting workshop uses María Irene Fornés’ anti-Aristotelian approach to playwriting pedagogy. With this method, a writer comes to the workshop with a blank slate; there is no preconceived notion of what the play will be because the process is intuitive and improvisational. Using centering movement, visualization, drawing, the found object/word, sense memory, and a communal writing experience, the participants will experience unique ways to finding character and story.

María Irene Fornés (1930-2018) was a Cuban-American playwright, director, and teacher. She wrote over forty plays and received nine Obie awards. She taught her playwriting method at INTAR, where she founded the Hispanic Playwrights Lab.


SCHEDULE

Monday, October 30th – Thursday, November 2nd, 2023,

10AM – 2PM.

In person at the PWM Studio.

LOCATION

PLAYWRIGHTS’ WORKSHOP MONTRÉAL
7250 rue Clark, #103
Montréal, QC
H2R 2Y3

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.


HOW TO APPLY:

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM on Friday, October 6th, 2023.


PWM is committed to creating an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.  We are continuously working to make all of our programs accessible and inclusive. 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.

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


ABOUT THE WORKSHOP LEADER:

Mariló Nuñez is a Chilean-Canadian playwright, director, dramaturge and scholar. She is a 2021 winner of the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Award in Theatre. She is the 2023-24 Playwright-in-Residence at Carousel Players Theatre for Young Audiences where she will premiere her play Mapu and was the 2021 Playwright-in-Residence at Aluna Theatre. She has been a member of playwright’s units at Factory Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Cahoots Theatre and Nightwood Theatre. She was McMaster University’s first Playwright-in-Residence in 2018 and was the recipient of the Hamilton Arts Awards for Established Theatre Artist. Her plays include: Three Fingered Jack and the Legend of Joaquin Murieta, El Retorno/I Return, Last Supper, Huinca, Foxy: Tales of An Urban Zorra, INQUEST, Demos Kratos, and Sangre Redux. She teaches playwriting at theatres and universities across the country using the Fornes Method. She was founding Artistic Director of Alameda Theatre Company, a company dedicated to developing the new work of Latinx Canadian playwrights. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph and is currently obtaining her Ph D. in Theatre & Performance Studies at York University. Her play El Retorno/I Return has been turned into a podcast for Radio Aluna Theatre. 

Headshot photo credit: Luis Mora


Cet atelier est soutenu financièrement par
Intervention -- Compētences. Un soutien aux activités de formation continue en culture. Compétence Culture. Comité sectoriel de main-d'œuvre en culture. Avec la participation financiére de Quebec.

The 2023-2024 Young Creators Unit

Calling all young playwrights and creatives, the 2023-2024 Young Creators Unit is now accepting applications! 

Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal is excited to once again be calling for all emerging storytellers under the age of 30 to apply for our YOUNG CREATORS UNIT (YCU). 

Are you an emerging playwright under 30, looking to develop your skills? Do you have a brilliant idea for a play, but are not sure how to get it on paper? Or maybe you have a draft, and now you need feedback and guidance to elevate it to the next level?

If any of this sounds like you, then the Young Creators Unit is the place to develop your work. This creative incubator supports up-and-coming artists find their voice, make connections, and learn new storytelling skills, as they workshop an original piece of theatre. All you need to apply is an idea, a question, a theme you’d like to explore.

From October 2023 – June 2024, participants will receive weekly one-on-one dramaturgical sessions, mentorships with industry professionals, participate in group writing sessions and workshops, receive grant writing support, and networking opportunities.


YCU is led by PWM’s Artistic Producer & Dramaturg, Leila Ghaemi.

Thrilled to be back leading the YCU for her second year, Leila Ghaemi (she/elle) is a first generation Iranian-Canadian theatre maker. She returned to her hometown of Montreal, Quebec during the COVID-19 pandemic after a decade of working for theater companies in the United States, including American Conservatory Theater, New Repertory Theatre, and Boston Playwright’s Theatre; where she grew her love for and skills in new play development. 

Leila received her BFA in Theatre Arts and MFA in Theatre Education & Direction from Boston University’s School of Theatre and currently serves as co-artistic director of Persephone Productions Montreal and Artistic Producer & Dramaturg at PWM.  Leila’s artistic pillars include responsible MENASA representation, radical theatre empowerment, and arts advocacy. Recent projects include: dramaturg for The Flick at Centaur Theatre, cultural consultant for English at The Segal Centre for Performing Arts, teaching-artist at The Study School, and director for Pool No Water at The Segal Centre for Performing Arts.


PWM is committed to creating an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.  We are continuously working to make all of our programs accessible and inclusive. 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+, d/Deaf, 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.

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, require assistance with your application, or would like to discuss alternative methods of applying and deadline flexibility, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca

Click here to preview the application form as a PDF. 

For accessibility information and video tours of our location, please click here. If you require any accommodations to participate in the program should you be selected, please let us know in your application.


Comment postuler :

Leila Ghaemi will be holding an open information session on Zoom, September 7th 2023 at 6:00PM, for anyone interested in learning more about the program and PWM. To register for the information session, please email leila@playwrights.ca.

If you are interested in applying, please fill out this Google Form by 11:59 PM on September 14th, 2023. Your application will require the following information:

  • A brief bio of yourself, and your experience (if any) as a storyteller/creator.
  • A brief description of the work you would like to develop, or a list of some ideas (writing samples are not mandatory, but encouraged).
  • A brief description sharing why you would like to join the Unit, and what you hope to get out of the experience.

Due to the large amount of interest in the program, we will also be holding interviews with applicants to learn more about their interests and what they hope to gain from the program. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask us questions! 

The program will run from October 19th  to May 31st, 2024. For the first half of the program, group sessions and workshops will take place biweekly on Thursdays from 5PM-8PM, at the PWM Studio, 7250 Rue Clark. In January, 2024, this will shift to a weekly format, culminating in a Showcase at the end of May.

There are limited spots in the program and participants are expected to attend the group sessions, one-on-one meetings,  as well as commit to some additional self-directed activities. Please only apply to the Unit if you can commit to the full schedule. All applicants will be informed of their results by Thursday, October 5th, 2023.

The Selection Process

Once the application period is closed, all applications will be reviewed and considered. We will then set-up interviews with potential candidates, followed by offers to join the program. There are many factors that go into the selection process in addition to the consideration of your application, such as group dynamics and the range of experience within the cohort. Decisions will not be based on training or competencies.

If you have any questions, please contact YCU’s Lead Dramaturg, Leila Ghaemi, at leila@playwrights.ca


“I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to be a part of the 2022-2023 Young Creators Unit! It was transformative in so many ways and I feel more confident about taking up space artistically and furthering my own practice as a theatre maker. I loved the one-on-one meetings with Leila Ghaemi as it kept me accountable and was integral to my writing practice. Additionally, the YCU cohort was a very thoughtful and generous ensemble; helping me stay tethered and accountable to this creative process. “

— 2022 YCU cohort member


Learn more about the Young Creators Unit.

Meet the Playwrights of the Cross Cultural Adaptation Lab

PWM’s newest program, led by PWM dramaturg Aki Matsushita, began July 2023.

Through the Lab, four playwrights will create adaptations of texts from the public domain into their own specific cultural context. Exploring different approaches to adapting cross-culturally, the group will develop their plays through regular discussions, where work and feedback will be shared. 

Read on for the details about each playwright and the projects they’re bringing to the Lab.


nick carpenter

Nick’s plays, radio plays (CBC), short stories and librettos have been presented across Canada, the US and Germany. Most recently, his play Arco took 2nd place in Infinitheatre’s 2021 Write-on-Q Competition. Nick wrote the screenplay to the film Maz (Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, 2018). His play Stained Glass won the Canadian Peace Play Competition in 2008 and was shortlisted for the Prism International Residency Award (2003). He is an alumnus of Tapestry Opera’s Lib Lab, the Banff Playwrights Colony, Theatre Centre Residency and the NAC/GCTC Writers’ Unit. 

Nick teaches and coaches at the National Theatre School of Canada. He has worked as a dramaturg for PWM (Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal); NACO (National Arts Centre Orchestra) and JMC (Jeunesses Musicales Canada) where he also creates mise-en-scène for touring concerts. 

In 2020, Nick was nominated for two METAs (Montreal English Theatre Awards) for his work as a Musician and Supporting Actor.

As a composer and musician for the stage, Nick has worked and collaborated with the National Arts Centre; National Theatre School of Canada; Great Canadian Theatre Company; Centaur Theatre; Lucion Media; Repercussion Theatre; Geordie Theatre; CAM en tournée, The Theatre Centre; Imago Theatre; Infinitheatre; Concordia University; National Circus School; McGill and Ottawa Universities; the METAs (Montreal English Theatre Awards); Hudson Village Theatre, Theatre Lac Brome; Third Wall; Théâtre Urbi et Orbi (Urban Tales); TF1 Rock’n’Roll Circus; Monastère Cabaret de Cirque; and on Festival productions or concerts for Magnetic North, SummerWorks, Undercurrents, WildSide, Tendance Clown (Marseille) and Festival de Clowns de Montréal.

Nick is co-founder of Summersett (summersettband.com).

Photo credit:  Trine Mikkelsen

Adapting El Misteri d’Elx

Several rivers of curiosity — musical, emotional, dramaturgical and historical — have led me to El Misteri d’Elx. This giant pageant, performed every year since the 13th century in the Spanish town of Elche, reenacts the story of the Assumption of Mary. Parts of it dazzle me, parts of it bore me, parts of it baffle me, parts of it offend me. But its climax, supported by some theatrical machinery (as extraordinary as it is ancient) hits me in the heart and reduces me — rather lifts me — to tears.  Somewhere along this delta of inspiration, lies my adaptation. 


Peng Hsu

Peng Hsu is a Taiwan and Montreal-based theater director, playwright, actor, beginner-level animator, and researcher. Her works explore excess, bad taste, and Taiwanese perspective on lesbian/queer camp humor. Since 2020, Peng has been developing a dramaturgy for the body to move with and to act out Broke Broke Recitation, or BBR, which is her translation of a phrase used in Taiwan to describe how women ALWAYS talk NONSTOP about daily trivialities. Peng came to Montreal in January 2023 to start her Ph.D. in the Humanities Program (Research- Creation track ) at Concordia University.

King Vanya in Parenthesis (adapting from Oedipus the King et Uncle Vanya)

I propose to create a cross-cultural adaptation of two plays together, one is Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya, hence the temporary title (but you can get the sense of it) King Vanya in Parenthesis. King in the title is obvious, and so is Vanya, but why parenthesis? The idea that I work with here is that in Taiwan, China, and Japan, many people use parenthesis to add on unimportant information, unrelated thoughts, and dramatic reactions (too dramatic it seems out of context, or, it’s so dramatic that it breaks away from the context of the conversation) in texting and messaging. Creating a cross-cultural adaptation of the two classics, I think, gives minoritized beings a chance to have an “old drama” that is about them, that thinks with them. I know linear genealogy is boring and not queer, but we cannot deny that sometimes it feels good to have some old stuff passed on to us. And I mean to have King Vanya in Parenthesis as that small something that travels through time and goes to a minoritarian: it feels new and it also feels old and it feels enough to be queer’s business.    

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Jamila “JAI” Joseph

Jamila “Jai” Joseph is a dance performer/choreographer, singer/lyricist, actor & storyteller from Montreal/Tiohtiá:ke. Trained in Classical Ballet for over 15 years and Afro-Caribbean dance/Folk technique which she inherited and trains under her father, renowned Dance performer/Instructor Selwyn Joseph (Trinidad & Tobago) while her love for music, performance & writing comes from her mother, a former Black Theatre Workshop and La Belle Carib Montreal member Paulette Armony (St. Kitts & Nevis).

Past recipient of Black Theatre Workshops Victor Phillips award in 2003, it was a synchronic moment to be able to come back 16 years later playing the role of “Chloe”, in BTW’S mainstage production of ‘How Black Mothers’ Say I Love You’ written by Tre Anthony. Her ambition and talents also lead her to Toronto where she performed in Nicole Brooke’s Obeah Opera for both Fall for Dance North and again as part of Luminato’s Summer Festival.

The last few years has brought exciting new experiences, participating in Dancemakers 2019-2020 Peer Learning Network program in Toronto, Playwright Workshop Montreal’s Dramaturgical Digital Residency, choreographed for The National Theatre Schools 2022 production of “Venus” by Suzan-Lori Parks and was a recipient of Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal and MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) 2022 Joint Support for Artists with her work in progress play, “Wild Roots”, a story of self-discovery and healing. This Fall Jamila steps into a new role as Movement Teacher for the Acting program at The National Theatre School of Canada, will be finishing her specialized training in Lester Horton dance technique, supported through Canada Council’s Professional Development for Artists grant, will join Playwrights’ Workshop Montreal’s newly launched Cross Cultural Adaption Lab where Jamila will bring a neo-Caribbean twist to “Alice in Wonderland”, as well as rejoining cohorts for the Arrivals Legacy Seed Pool project lead by Diane Roberts.

Adapting Alice in Wonderland

It’s March 29th, 2024, Aliyah, a young woman, visits her paternal family in Trinidad for the first time. She spends the day taking in the culture and relatives as they show her about and prepare for a special holiday, Spiritual Baptist Liberation Day. Aliyah learns of the Shouters Prohibition Ordinance of 1917 and the family ties to the political religious movement. At her aunts’ house in Carenage after a night of limin’ with her siblings and cousins, Aliyah falls asleep and dreams of a time before hers when politics ruled heavy over all forms of celebrations and a great trial takes place.


MEL PICKERING

Mel Pickering is an emerging actor, and playwright based in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, Canada. Her acting career debuted in 2017 as a messenger and a chorus member in  the play Camilien Houde – le p’tit gars de Sainte-Marie, written by Alexis Martin and  produced by Nouveau Théâtre Expérimental. The short yet life-changing experience  influenced her decision to recently complete a BFA in Acting at Concordia University.  During her studies, she began working on original pieces and discovered her voice as a  playwright.  

As a creator, she is inspired by complex relationship dynamics and human behavior, infused with her Haitian heritage. Her approach to characters and stories explores what often remains unsaid for the sake of appearances, shining a light over the impact of  such actions. Ultimately, her intention is to spark conversations people tend to avoid  and she is committed to uplifting Black voices, regardless of the medium she plays with.  

While at university, Mel teamed up with fellow classmates to put on a staged reading of  original play excerpts titled Blood Family…Sometimes Not (under The Sky Is The Limit  Collective). She has also participated in three Montreal Fringe festivals: she played  Robyn in No Justice No Peace, by Blxck Cxsper from Transtrenderz Productions, in both 2021-2022 runs, and played Honeysuckle in Vers de Terre et Dents-De-Lion: A  Guide To Plants, by HeadEmpty Productions. Aside from stage work, she pursues  projects on screen, and voiceover work. She played Juliette in an indie thriller titled Les  Nettoyeurs, produced by Pink Walls Production (unreleased). 

Photo credit: NOC Photograhy

Pyramidal Love Scheme (adapting from House of Desires)

The piece that I’m working on is titled Pyramidal Love Scheme and is based on House of Desires by Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz. It’s about seven people stuck in a house during a power outage who attempt to unstitch three love triangles woven through a series of outrageous tricks. It deals with love, acceptance, and the impact of stubbornly holding on to appearances for the sake of looking good. Throw in mistaken identities and a desire of figuring out romantic relationships in the mix. The adaptation is moving away from the heteronormative context it was created in, shifting to a queer lens. Also, the characters’ background is changed from Latin-American to Afro-Caribbean, in order to live closer to my identity as a person of color.


The Cross-Cultural Adaptation Lab is led by dramaturg Aki Matsushita

Image of Aki Matsushita

Aki is a biracial, Japanese-Canadian (nisei, second generation) dramaturg and arts educator.

She  is fascinated by intercultural performance, as it fosters an exchange and seeks out connection between seemingly disparate entities, looking at the world through the lens of wanting to understand each other’s humanity across geographic, cultural, linguistic, temporal and cultural boundaries.

Find out more about Aki here.

Departure for our Managing Director, Anne-Sophie Grenier

With sadness and gratitude, the PWM Board of Directors would like to share that our Managing Director, Anne-Sophie Grenier, is departing from the organization. Over the past year she has brought remarkable work and compassion to Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal, and she continues to be deeply appreciated by the team, the milieu, and of course, the board.


“Having had the privilege to recruit, welcome and follow Anne-Sophie, I was very impressed by her leadership, her vivacity, and her brilliant mind . I am confident that she can successfully manage any endeavor she feels like ! She will be missed.” 

— Tiffanie Guffroy, co-president of PWM 


Anne-Sophie took on the role of Managing Director at PWM in May 2022, right on time to respond to many of the annual duties of a registered charity, such as auditing, programming, and recruiting. She also brilliantly tackled the specific challenges facing PWM at the time: leading a new team in a post-covid cultural sector, and defining what a co-leadership structure would look like for the organization. She expanded PWM’s outreach and connected us with new wonderful people to contribute to the organization, including new  board members. It took very little time for everyone to see that not only was she more than well suited for the role, she was an excellent fit for the team.

Indeed, whether from the team, from the board, or from our partners, Anne-Sophie was always well respected, appreciated and trusted. 


“My year and a bit at PWM has been inspiring, educational, and honestly, a lot of fun.  A change in personal circumstances has led to my time here being shorter than expected, but I leave PWM with a full heart, and immense gratitude. 

I have deeply appreciated working so closely with Sarah in whom I found a true partner, collaborator and friend. I have the utmost confidence in the PWM team, and I look forward to continuing to support them from the sidelines as their biggest cheerleader. 

Thank you to our many partners in Montreal and across the country who offered me guidance throughout the year, and who strive every day to make theatre shine. I have been deeply touched by the generosity of spirit, creativity, innovation, and passion of our staff and the many (hundreds!) of artists with whom PWM works.”

 — Anne-Sophie Grenier, outgoing Managing Director of PWM. 


“Anne-Sophie has worked at PWM for little over a year and in that time has made a positive and extraordinary impact on the organization and on all of us within it-she will be missed. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to collaborate with her and I wish her the very best on her next adventure.  

— Fatma Sarah Elkashef, Artistic Director of PWM.

Thanks to Anne-Sophie’s efforts, guidance and feedback, PWM is now more than ever capable of creating a safe and creative place not only for the numerous artists who take part in our projects, but also for all our employees. We look forward to the recruitment of a new Managing Director, who will work alongside our Artistic Director, Fatma Sarah Elkashef as co-leaders of the organization. While change is bittersweet, we are confident that this new chapter for PWM will be fruitful and are excited for the artistic collaborations to come. 

In addition, we are proud to announce two new positions in the PWM team. Alanna Wrenshall, who joined the team in February as Admin Assistant and Program Coordinator has been promoted to the role of General Manager. Leila Ghaemi is stepping into the role of Artistic Producer, while continuing to be the Young Creators Unit Dramaturg. Alanna and Leila will work in close collaboration with Sarah and the new Managing Director, as well as the whole PWM team, to continue delivering on the organization’s mission, vision and values. 

Click here to view the job posting for Managing Director.

2023 Cole Foundation Mentorship for Emerging Translators

Supporting the translation of new work for the stage is a core part of Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal’s (PWM) programming. Since its inception in 2013, the Mentorat pour traductrices et traducteurs émergents de la Fondation Cole has been guiding the next generation of French to English theatre translators.

With the skilled guidance of acclaimed translator Maureen Labonté and in partnership with the Fondation Cole, 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 $1,500 honorarium and a mentorship with Maureen Labonté, which includes a workshop with actors and a reading. The mentorship begins in October 2023, and lasts for approximately one year.


PWM is committed to creating an environment where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.  We are continuously working to make all of our programs accessible and inclusive. 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.

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

If you have any questions regarding accessibility, require assistance with your application, or would like to discuss alternative methods of applying and deadline flexibility, please contact accessibility@playwrights.ca.

Click here to preview the application form as a PDF.

For accessibility information and video tours of our location, please click here. If you require any accommodations to participate in the program should you be selected, please let us know in your application.


Who Can Apply?

To be eligible, emerging translators must have completed at least one translation which has received a public reading, publication or production. Because the focus is on developing 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 is already invested in the proposed work and would be in a position to begin work immediately following the announcement of the selected project in October.

Translations must be from French into English only. 

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

Application Process

Fill out this Google Form by August 18, 2023. 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 3 to 5 page sample of your previous translation work, please include the corresponding original text.

A selection committee will be reading the applications and selecting the participant for the mentorship.

All applicants will be notified of the results by the end of September.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Logo of the Cole Foundation

The Resident Creators of the 2023 Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac

The Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac is taking place from June 2nd to the 13th!

The residency is known for encouraging a nuanced and generative translation process, through the collaborative unearthing of ideas embedded within plays.

Unique au pays, cette résidence, qui a lieu dans l’historique Maison Fletcher à Tadoussac, au Québec, donne aux traducteurs le temps, l’espace et le soutien dramaturgique nécessaires pour la traduction d’une pièce de théâtre.

The program plays a vital role in Canada’s theatre-making landscape, and we’re pleased to announce this year’s playwright-translator pairs. You can click on each resident’s photo to learn more about their work.


Almighty Voice and His Wife | Translation from English to French

La pièce que je me donne l’objectif de traduire est “Almighty Voice and His Wife” de Daniel David Moses, auteur autochtone Canadien anglophone qui n’a malheureusement jamais été traduit en français de son vivant et dont l’oeuvre mérite d’être reconnue dans notre province. Dans son premier acte, la pièce raconte l’histoire relativement simple de la relation entre Almighty Voice et sa femme White Girl alors que ce premier doit fuir la police montée après avoir abattu la vache d’un fermier des environs. Dans le deuxième acte, la pièce bascule de manière tout à fait inattendue dans une sorte de cabaret des limbes où Almighty Voice doit jouer le jeu d’un mystérieux Maître de Cérémonie qui semble vouloir lui faire subir toutes les injures des représentations fantasmées des “indiens” dans les différents médias coloniaux. 

Charles Bender

Translator

Daniel David Moses

Playwright

Ginkgo et la jardinière | Translation from French to Spanish

Dans Ginkgo et la jardinière, arrivées et départs se succèdent, la vie et la mort se côtoient.  Entre ces passages, de petits événements surgissent : la naissance d’un oiseau, la poésie d’un coucher de soleil, la découverte d’un insecte…  

Ginkgo et La Jardinière est un spectacle créé spécialement pour la petite enfance, à partir de l’âge de 4 ans. À l’origine, l’œuvre a deux racines, le Québec et la Belgique; dix ans plus tard, une nouvelle possibilité apparaît, le Mexique.

Ce texte est conçu comme une pièce interdisciplinaire entre la musique et le théâtre. Écrite pour une seule actrice (la jardinière) et deux musiciens qui représentent tous les personnages qui apparaissent : plantes, animaux et divers éléments de la nature, la pièce parcourt les cycles des saisons et de la vie elle-même, mêlant musique, chant et poésie.

Violeta Sarmiento Marabotto

Translator

Jasmine Dubé

Playwright

Re:Construct  | Translation from English to French

Re:Construct was originally written in English by Even Gilchrist for the Ottawa Fringe in 2018. In the past few years, it has undergone further development. In 2022, it was presented through Common Ground Arts Society’s Riser project in Edmonton as well as at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. It was brought to Calgary in early 2023 for One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo festival.

Synopsis : 

“Here’s another attempt at a love letter to my younger self…”. A trans man and his idealized cis self invite onlookers to a very brave thing on the best day, the most perfect day ever. They have made you a meditation – no, a paint night – actually, no, a rumble – anything to finally get it right this time. Re:Construct is a poetic, surprising, and irreverent interrogation of perfect masculinity.

Émanuel Dubbeldam

Translator

Even Gilchrist

Playwright

Tous inclus/All-inclusive | Translation from French to English.

Original title : Tout inclus (written in French)

Title for English translation: All-inclusive

When his parents move to an “old people’s home,” François is stunned. For his parents, and for nearly 1.5 million Quebecers, this step may well be the beginning of the end. One last all-inclusive trip, but without the sandy beaches and warm sun. 

Tout inclus (English title: All-inclusive) explores questions about how we want to live in our later years and reveals the hidden world of assisted living homes for the elderly.

A coproduction of Porte Parole, Un et un font mille and the Collectif Nous sommes ici.

Tout inclus is in two parts. The first part was produced at La Licorne (Montreal) in October 2019, then at the Periscope (Quebec City) in September 2021. 

The play was produced in its entirety at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe (Montreal) in October-November 2021. It is being remounted in March 2023 at Théâtre La Bordée (Quebec City).

Both parts have been published in two separate volumes by Atelier 10.

Alexis Diamond

Translator

François Grisé

Playwright


Meet the Translation Dramaturg

We’re pleased to have Maryse Warda as the Glassco Residency’s translation dramaturg and residency host. 

Born in Egypt, where she spent her childhood, Maryse Warda has been active on Quebec stages since 1992, and has translated more than seventy plays. Her work has helped introduce French-speaking audiences to many Canadian authors such as John Mighton, Morris Panych and George F. Walker. She has also translated for many American, British, Scottish and Irish authors including Howard Barker, Margaret Edson, David Greig, David Hare, David Ives, Cindy Lou Johnson, David Mamet, Arthur Miller and Harold Pinter.

In 2011, she received the Governor General’s Award for her translation of the play The Toxic Bus Incident by Greg MacArthur. Her translation of Anthony Black’s One Discordant Violin – inspired by a short story by Yann Martel – was the subject of her work at the Glassco Translation Residency in 2019 and was  presented at La Licorne in the fall of 2022. In February 2023, Maryse’s translation of Stop Kiss by Diana Son premiered at La Licorne, and her translation of Cindy Lou Johnson’s play, Traces d’étoiles, is currently playing at Théâtre du Rideau vert until June 10, 2023.

Since 2006, Maryse has benefited from the wonderful Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac on nine occasions. This is the second summer she serves  as translation dramaturg and host.


About the Residency

The Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac is dedicated to the art of translation for the stage.

Tout au long de son histoire remarquable, cette résidence a servi de cadre à la traduction de pièces de théâtre en plusieurs langues, notamment en cri, en cantonais, en espagnol, en catalan, en portugais, en tagalog, en anglais et en français.

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The Glassco Translation Residency in Tadoussac is made possible through our partnership with the Cole Foundation’s Intercultural Conversations Program, the dedication of Residency Producer Briony Glassco, and the support of the friends and family in memory of the great Canadian theatre artist, Bill Glassco. We are also grateful to the Canada Council for the Arts, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and the Conseil des arts de Montréal for their ongoing support.

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