Shakespeare and Montreal

Overview:

Repercussion Theatre is looking to commission a brand-new Canadian play that explores the connection between Shakespeare and Montréal/Canada. In collaboration with Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal, our goal is to support the development of a new creation and hold a public reading of this new play in the fall of 2018, to be featured as part of Repercussion’s 30th anniversary.

Artistic Director, Amanda Kellock explains, “We at Repercussion love the way that Shakespeare explores human themes and questions in ways that are open to interpretation and exploration, and we believe that, as theatre-makers, we are in conversation with Shakespeare when we produce his plays. We would like to open up that conversation to include the talented writers here in Montréal and beyond.”

What kind of plays are we looking for? We are open to any style or approach, and this does not necessarily have to be the kind of play that would work as part of our Shakespeare-in-the-Park tour. The possibilities are endless. That said, we are definitely looking for stories that widen the scope of the Bard’s work, and that perhaps offer a voice not heard in his canon. As a company, we are deeply committed to engaging with Shakespeare’s works in a way that illuminates important current issues, and to reflecting the diversity and complexity of Montréal on our stages (and Québec/Canada more largely). So we are looking for submissions that explore Shakespeare’s work through an expanded cultural lens, and that invite a plurality of voices into the conversation.

The process:

– Proposals will be accepted from November 1st until December 1st

– A jury will select the proposal to be supported by December 21st

– Over the course of 2017, the selected writer will begin work on a first draft and will be given:

$3,000 commission

One-on-one dramaturgical support from Playwrights’ Workshop Montréal and the Artistic Director of Repercussion Theatre

Access to the studio space at PWM for meetings or writing sessions

Access to printing or office support from Repercussion

5 workshops of 4-hours each (which includes fees for the writer, actors, a director, and whatever other collaborators are deemed necessary)

– A public reading will be held in the Fall of 2018 (the nature of the reading will obviously be dependent on the process, and where the work is at)

– Consultations will then take place to determine the next steps and support will be provided by Repercussion to move the play towards production (again, this will be determined by the nature of the play)

Guidelines for Submissions:

Writers should submit:

– a short bio

– a letter detailing their proposal

– a 10 page writing sample (something that gives a sense of the style the writer is going for, or is exploring)

– any pertinent research materials or images that help give a sense of the writer’s intentions

Submissions should be sent to: repercussionsubmissions@gmail.com

For questions please contact: Artistic Director, Amanda Kellock at ad@repercussiontheatre.com