Soulpepper Theatre Company

Reminder to Artists! This is the FINAL weekend to apply for the sixth intake of the Soulpepper Academy the same place that our Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha got her training! Applications for the paid training program are due on TOMORROW at 11:59PM! Please remind your friends too! http://soulpepper.ca/academy

He was an example of a truly great artist. He stood for somebody who knew his art and could do it anywhere. And thats such a great lesson. The man was hooked to the love of his art form and that is what I sought. Not ‘how can I make more money’, not ‘how can I get bigger’, not ‘how can I go to Hollywood’. None of that made any sense, the only thing that made sense was ‘know what you’re doing and live with it and steep yourself in it’ and he was the living example of it. Di...ego Matamoros Turns out the show that changed Founding Member, Diego Matamoros’ life and brought him back to acting wasn't even a play?! Thank goodness Willie Dixon was playing the Ottawa scene that fateful night. Stay tuned for more episodes of THE SHOW THAT CHANGED MY LIFE with many more incredible Canadian artists sharing a personal snapshot at the art that has shaped their career and what continues to inspire them! #spAtHome

SIX WOMEN WRITING We're SO excited to share the news of our Six Women Writing commissioning project! In the works are new plays by Trey Anthony, Sandra Caldwell, Falen Johnson, Hannah Moscovitch, Kat Sandler & Erin Shields! These six women have been working hard in our industry for years and made incredible names for themselves. They each have incredible stories to tell and I could not be more thrilled about what they are working on. My hope is that by aligning the Soulpepp...er Supporting Top Women campaign with this project, we are creating a space to bring these powerhouse playwrights together, have them experience each other’s work, and to show audiences what the industry could look like when women’s voices are invested in and prioritized Weyni Mengesha For details on how YOU can support their work visit: soulpepper.ca/topwomen

"It was the first time in my journey as a growing director that I had ever assisted a Black woman. I didn’t even know going into that process how important that would be for me. To be able to see my story reflected not just in the story, but in the leadership who was telling that story. And to see all aspects of myself in terms of gender and race representated, and that intersectionality." Mumbi Tindyebwa Artistic Director of Obsidian Theatre Company, Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu, shares why 'for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf' was the show that changed her life, twice. Stay tuned for more episodes of THE SHOW THAT CHANGED MY LIFE with many more incredible Canadian artists sharing a personal snapshot at the art that has shaped their career and what continues to inspire them!. #spAtHome

If you’re touring reserves or communities that have no access to [theatre] things, the joy and the power of just building that relationship is THE most important thing. Jani Lauzon In this episode of The Show That Changed My Life we learn from the immeasurable theatre director, actor, and creator Jani Lauzon, that lights and sets and costumes aren’t what make theatre powerful it is the genuine connection to your audience. That live connection to our audiences is what we’re missing most right now. #iMissLiveTheatreTO Stay tuned for more episodes of THE SHOW THAT CHANGED MY LIFE with many more incredible Canadian artists. #spAtHome

Seeking creators, dreamers, and risk-takers for the 20th Paprika Festival! Less than a week left to get your submissions in. Deadline: Sept. 30 www.paprikafestival.com/apply #paprika20

I was already collecting influences. Sometimes I think these events in our lives help us see things that we feel we already understood in some way, but have never given voice or form to. Daniel Brooks Today’s episode of The Show That Changed My Life we learn what influenced the man who is an influence to so many. Shows directed by Daniel Brooks are always so special, and what better time to learn more about the fearless director than during #iMissLiveTheatreTO week!

It felt like my world, my real life, was meshing with my artistic life at that time. Akosua Amo-Adem There is no better timing to look back and reflect on the importance and the vitality of the shows that have made a lasting impact. The Show That Changed My Life we have Akosua Amo-Adem sharing why 'The Middle Place' played such an important role in shaping her career. #iMissLiveTheatreTO

We are so thrilled to relaunch the Soulpepper Academy for a sixth intake, beginning in Jan. 2021! The Academy equips its members to be innovators and the theatre makers for our future! Academy alumni have gone one to be leaders in #theaTO and across the industry - including our Artistic Director @weynimengesha, from the very first intake! Soulpepper’s ambition to be a radically inclusive civic leader and a supportive home for all artists starts with ensuring all Academy mem...bers and faculty are paid and supported through their practice! This is made possible thanks to the generous support from @rbc #RBCEmergingArtists, @CdnHeritage & Sylvia Soyka! The national call for applications is open now! Soulpepper.ca/academy

With the 'back to school' mindset returning, we are excited to share rebroadcasts of the #spTrainingRoom episodes for you to dig into and learn from. Obsidian Theatre Company Former Artistic Director Philip Akin, Factory Theatre Artistic Director Nina Lee Aquino, Dancer/Choreographer Esie Mensah the Artist , and our Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha share tips from the industry, the twists and turns their respective journeys took to bring them where they are today, and what inspires them in their work! Grab a notebook and learn from some of #theaTO's best in these #spTrainingRoom episodes. soulpepper.ca/trainingroom

JOB ALERT! We're hiring a Producing Assistant on contract through Canada Summer Jobs. #theaTO soulpepper.ca/work We encourage you to apply to join the team at Soulpepper in supporting the development of new programming initiatives. You'll be assisting our Producing team and Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha through research, outreach, and ideation, as we continue to navigate theatre in our new world. Soulpepper is deeply committed to radical inclusion and strongly encourage submissions from applicants of diverse cultures, abilities, and backgrounds. Check it out and help spread the word. Deadline to apply: Sept. 1, 2020. soulpepper.ca/work

We know you're probably missing hearing the fresh new works now that there is no #spFreshInk every week so we're glad to be able to share a couple of the most invigorating conversations that were had! Catch the rebroadcasts of Kim Senklip Harvey, Kevin Loring, Motion, Idris Goodwin, Andrea Scott, and Hiro Kanagawa's readings at soulpepper.ca/freshink.

Black Leadership. Black Excellence. BLACK MAGIC. Next Friday, Aug. 14 our Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha joins with other Black Artistic Directors for a candid discussion about what exactly it means to be a Black AD in Toronto, in Canada, and what it is like navigating their experiences as leaders in the midst of a profound shift. This is a conversation you won't want to miss. #ADBlackMagic