ACWB Hosts Successful Script to Stage Online Session
As calendars were wiped clean of events, and people couldn’t say a sentence without COVID-19, or Coronavirus in it – learning about Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s (ACWB) event continuing online was a needed piece of good news. From Script to Stage – held on March 22, 2019 – is a workshop series featuring actress/director Michelle Thorne, formerly a local resident, and now based in Vancouver.
The workshop series is part of Arts Council Wood Buffalo’s Artist in Residency (AiR) & Mentorship Program. It is presented in collaboration with Keyano Theatre & Arts Centre. The eight sessions with Michelle Thorne will be offered through Zoom, an online platform.
The first installment was on Directing, and featured 15 local and provincial participants. Subsequent workshops will include a variety of topics such as script analysis, design concepts and collaborations, stage management, auditions, casting, marketing and publicity. They are now free to local residents. However, a fee will be charged for out of town registrants.
Liana Wheeldon, Executive Director, Arts Council Wood Buffalo explains why it was important to continue with the initiative.
“Knowing how important the arts are in maintaining emotional and mental well-being, but wanting to support the global initiative of 'social distancing,’ the ACWB team started to look for ways to maintain a 'social' aspect while implementing physical distance. Luay Eljamal, our Programs Manager, quickly developed an online approach to delivering our Artist in Residency & Mentorship program. Using the Zoom platform, Luay, and our two presenting theatre artists, Michelle Thorne and Hanna Fridhed, tweaked their lesson plans and presentation styles to complement delivery online.”
“The arts heal, connect, inspire, and transform. It is extremely important to the ACWB team to continue connecting with our artists and the community, supporting the growth and success of the arts. We would not accept cancelling this offering of AiR, and are looking at other programs that we can launch using this platform until we can all be face-to-face again,” she notes.
For Michelle Thorne, the session was a “smashing success.”
“Participants unanimously agreed that they are thrilled to remain connected and creative with their peers during these unpredictable times. The Zoom platform has allowed us to capture the energy and enthusiasm of creative collaboration in an online format, which allows us to continue to practice social distancing, while still remaining quite social. I am humbled to be able to maintain some structure and normality to my life at home, doing what is right for the global good-—while still indulging in my passion as well.”
Workshops will run from March 22 to April 13, 2020 (Sundays and Mondays only).
Sundays: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., and Mondays: 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Register online: https://air-script2stage.eventbrite.ca.
