PLAYWRIGHTS THEATRE CENTRE
PTC is a dramaturgically-focused theatre company that finds, nurtures, and advances the Canadian playwright, supporting new plays from creation to performance. PTC engages with the professional theatre community nationally and internationally in the development of new work. We invest in research and innovation in process, form and dissemination. We foster playwrights and theatre artists that reflect our diverse community. Check out our Associates page to meet our newest crop of playwrights.
For over 30 years PTC has supported Canadian playwrights, the least visible yet the most essential player in the theatrical ecosystem. We recognise and value what these playwrights contribute to our community and we have worked hard to sustain these programs despite a tight economy and funding cutbacks. Funding for PTC helps provide playwrights the time, support and financial security to focus on their work.
PTC invites applications for the position of Dramaturg
Call for Applications
PTC is seeking its next Dramaturg, a visionary artist with strong production and administrative experience, to join us at Canada’s largest play development centre on the cusp of our 40th birthday. PTC is a dramaturgically-focused theatre company that finds, nurtures, and advances the Canadian playwright. We support new plays from creation to performance.
PTC’s new Dramaturg will have an independent spirit, and a level of mastery in orchestrating collaborations. S/he will have a comprehensive knowledge and burning curiosity about the national and international theatre scene, and a minimum of five years professional experience. Comfortable with managing budgets, contributing to grant narratives, and helping run a small and busy office, the Dramaturg will help manage and initiate organizational initiatives, while leading on three main programming areas: the PTC Annual Writers Colony, the Writers’ Blocks, and the Dramaturgical Reading Program. Reporting to the Artistic and Executive Director (from across a shared office), the Dramaturg will play a central role in articulating PTC’s creative activities.
PLAYWRIGHTS THEATRE CENTRE ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP
Playwrights Theatre Centre today announced that, effective December 1, 2012, Heidi Taylor will assume leadership as the Artistic and Executive Director. Martin Kinch, who has led the organization for over 10 years as Executive Director and Literary Manager is stepping down to focus on freelance writing and directing and to continue teaching at the University of British Columbia.
As of March 1, Heidi became the Incoming Artistic and Executive Director, and will assume full executive responsibilities in December of this year. Heidi has been the Dramaturg at PTC since 2005. Since joining PTC, she has dramaturged over 40 plays by writers including Jan Derbyshire, Dave Deveau, Joan Kivanda, Hannah Moscovitch, Anita Majumdar, Jason Maghanoy, Tanya Marquardt, and Kendra Fasconi. Recent credits include Sea of Sand, which she co-directed with playwright Eric Rhys Miller, Transmission (co-directed with Tanya Marquardt), and Cloudless (Jose Teodoro/ BC Buds). Heidi teaches acting at Simon Fraser University, and is co-founder of Proximity Arts, a cross-disciplinary company whose work ranges from interactive sound installation to outdoor-sited dance to chamber opera.
"On behalf of the entire board, I am delighted to announce Heidi Taylor's appointment," said Board Chair Jennifer Moore. "Heidi brings to the position an intimate familiarity with both PTC and the Canadian theatre ecology as a whole. Her strong focus on innovation and experimental work will serve PTC well as we move into the future. In this volatile funding climate, we are pleased to be able to make a decision that benefits both the stability of the organization and its artistic practices."
"I also want to thank Martin for his years of service. Under his leadership, PTC has flourished during challenging times and has brought many exciting new plays to the Canadian stage," she added.
During his decade-long tenure as Executive Director/ Literary Manager, Martin changed the face of PTC, initiating vital programs like the Dramaturgical Reading Program, the News and Flying Start. He has presided over the creation of the PTC Playwrights Colony and the new Associates residency program. He lead PTC in its collaboration with a variety of British Columbia theatre companies and served as dramaturg to a significant group of playwrights, among them: Denis Bolen, Tim Carlson, Camyar Chair, Tom Cone, Dorothy Dittirich, C. E. Gatchalian, Nicola Harwood, Sherry MacDonald, Mitch Miyagawa, Sheldon Rosen, Sally Stubbs, James Fagan Tait, Jose Teodoro, Andrew Templeton, Charles Tidler, Bryan Wade, Ian Weir and Marcus Youssef. Most recently, he completed a three-year collaboration with Adrienne Wong as dramaturg, director and writer of the PodPlays project.
In the spring, PTC will initiate a national search for a Dramaturg to join the creative team in fall 2012 to work with both Martin and Heidi. The transition will complete during PTC's October Writers' Colony. As Heidi plans for the 2012-2013 season, she will continue to provide creative and professional support to PTC's Associates; six playwrights who are currently 18 months into a three year development process.
PTC is a dramaturgically focused theatre company that finds, nurtures and advances the Canadian playwright, supporting new plays from creation to performance, administering a variety of programs that support playwrights at each stage of their careers. PTC has successfully supported over 5,000 new plays since its founding as the New Play Centre in 1973, most recently The Idiot, by James Fagan Tait; Trunk, by Jeremy Waller; and Falling in Time, by C. E. Gatchalian.
While numbers tell part of the story, playwright Lucia Fragione captured the essence of the organization. "PTC's Writers' Colony was one of the most valuable experiences I've had in my 25 years in the business... The calibre of dramaturgy was top notch. I was able to crack open some large questions about my play and my process. The feedback was guided and useful and far more in-depth than customary dramaturgical processes I've had... One of the most education aspects of the colony was watching the three other wildly different writers in process and talking with them about their work: how they survive, what theatre is like in their province. The colony connected me to the country. I feel this colony is vital to the development and health of Canadian Theatre."
PTC AEROPLAN CAMPAIGN A SUCCESS!
Our campaign to raise Aeroplan miles to cover our airfare for out-of-town Colony playwrights was a huge success - we exceeded our target, and now have enough miles to bring our Halifax and Edmonton writers to Vancouver for the Colony. We are very grateful to all our contributors: Adrienne Wong, Jane Taylor, Sarindar Dhaliwal, Miro Kinch, Harvey Meller, Kristine Coombes, Jeff Pitcher, Barbara Heller, Therese Smortchesky, and PTC staff! Also, a big thank-you to Aeroplan for making this campaign possible. We will be making this a yearly campaign, so please consider saving some of your miles for us next year!
PTC announces 2011 Colony Writers
PTC welcomes four exceptional writers for ten days of intensive play development in November. This year’s playwrights are: Lucia Frangione (Vancouver), Greg MacArthur (Edmonton), Robert Plowman (Halifax) and José Teodoro (Toronto).
Our Colony is an opportunity to engage with playwrights on a national level, and to bring a creative team of actors, writers and dramaturges together to exchange and learn from each other’s practice. The dramaturgical team includes guest dramaturg Don Hannah, dramaturg-in-residence Lisa C. Ravensbergen, and PTC staff Martin Kinch and Heidi Taylor.
We look forward to integrating our community of writers – our Associates, Block participants, and Colony members – through informal gatherings and a public reading of guest dramaturg Don Hannah’s The Cave Painter (originally commissioned by the Canadian Centre for Theatre Creation in Edmonton).
PTC welcomes 2011 Writers’ Block participants
Each fall sees the start of a new round of Writers’ Blocks at PTC. Block A, for emerging writers, meets weekly with mentor Marcus Youssef to explore the craft of playwriting in a collegial environment. Block P, self-producing for emerging playwrights, is led by Ilena Lee Cramer, and meets for 8 sessions, in addition to some intensive Fringe-going. Writers in both blocks benefit from creative cross-pollination and member activities, like attending the GVPTA Making a Scene conference.
Block A 2011:
Morgan Brayton, Pedro Chamale, Shauna Johannesen, Jeff Hammond, Matthew Kowlachuk, Heather Pawsey
Block P 2011:
Catherine Ballachey, Chris Cook, Brett Little, Andrea Noble, Nathaniel Roy, Leslie Stark

