PTE Directing Mentorship

Prairie Theatre Exchange is inviting submissions from emerging and/or mid-career Winnipeg-based IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, People of Colour) directors for a directing mentorship.

The director chosen for the mentorship will be present for the rehearsal process, design meetings, and production meetings for our upcoming world premiere productions of Post-Democracy by Hannah Moscovitch and a yet untitled play by Ismaila Alfa.

This mentorship will give the director the opportunity to be mentored by Thomas Morgan Jones (director of Hannah’s play), and Jones and Cherissa Richards (directors of Ismaila’s play). 

While the mentorship will provide some insights into the process of directing in rehearsals and in pre-rehearsal meetings/design processes, this mentorship is meant to give the director not only experience, but perspective on the craft of direction from a very specific viewpoint.  The perspective on directing for the stage will be shaped, framed, and informed by the conditions of the productions:  PTE as a theatre (our structure, size, production team, administrative staff), working on a thrust stage, working on new plays, working with these particular directors, casts, design teams, and stage management.  There are so many ways to create plays, and part of the conversations during the mentorship will be identifying why and how these conditions impact the work itself.

The purpose of this mentorship is both to share experience and knowledge to the director, but most importantly to empower their individual voice through conversation, using these two projects as case studies to discuss some of the ways in which theatre can be created.
 

What PTE can offer

• Financial support of $5,000
• Attendance at rehearsals and design meetings
• Dedicated time for discussion with Jones and Richards
   

Who can apply?

• Any emerging and/or mid-career artist who identifies as IBPOC
• Artists who would like directing to be a focus of their arts practice and theatre career
• Artists who are currently residents of Winnipeg

How to apply:

Please submit a letter of interest introducing yourself and outlining the ways in which this mentorship could benefit you and your arts practice.

If you would like to discuss the mentorship, have any questions about what to include in your letter, or would like an alternate means of submitting an introduction, we are available for discussion.
 

Applications will be accepted until September 18th, 2020

Please submit proposals to:  ad@pte.mb.ca
 

Dates

Rehearsals for Post-Democracy | February 9th – March 11th, 2021

Rehearsals for Ismaila Alfa project | April 20th – May 20th, 2021
 

Selection process

Interviews will be hosted by Thomas Morgan Jones and Cherissa Richards.  The selection of the director to be invited into the mentorship will be made jointly by Jones and Richards.