InspiraTO Festival

11/05/2023

So many wonderful memories over the years at inspiraTO. Thank you. Share your stories.

02/16/2023

Have your voice heard!

Theatre inspiraTO Playwriting Academy - is accepting application until Feb. 25 (A Beautiful Constraint workshop series).

You should have a compelling desire for creative writing and/or creating drama. You do not, necessarily, have to had your work produced or even written a play. However, we want participants who are fully committed to doing the work, exploring a process and growing their craft. This is open to those who live in the Greater Toronto Area.

Work on an engaging ten-minute play. Get a chance to see it on stage. We are looking forward to a wonderful group of playwrights (new and experienced) to join us for a dynamic program on playwriting.

Details here: http://www.theatreinspirato.ca/beautiful-constraint

12/16/2022

Ten-minute Play Festival Relaunch

We are excited to be re-launching a ten-minute play festival in partnership with Crane Creations Theatre Company in the summer of 2023.

Theatre inspiraTO's Playwriting Academy (TIPA) will be teaching a series of workshops, starting in March 2023, on writing a ten-minute play and offering opportunities to have some of those plays performed at the new inspiraTO Creations Theatre Festival. The festival will be performed in the summer of 2023. The training, selection and curation of the playwrights will be led by Theatre inspiraTO.

Visit the website for details.

12/22/2021

You can now listen to ten-minute audio dramas: www.theatreinspirato.ca/audiodrama - we had over 300 play submissions - we selected six winners. Available 24/7.
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and wishing you a wonderful 2022!

12/22/2020

Theatre inspiraTO is planning a Playwriting Contest (open to all) for 2021. Details to follow in late January. Watch out for the next newsletter. 'How to submit' will also be listed on our website in January.

A big shout-out to all the past inspiraTO artists, volunteers and to the the patrons who believed in the festival and supported us over the years - thank you!

In this unprecedented year we hope you take the time to light the lanterns for others (even if it’s virtual).

All of us at inspiraTO wish you and yours the very best for the holiday season.

Be well. Stay safe.

The inspiraTO Team

05/28/2020

WE ARE ALMOST FULL FOR TODAY'S WEBINAR (5 spots left). We are looking forward to seeing you there!

WRITE AN 'OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD' TEN-MINUTE PLAY

05/22/2020

inspiraTO Festival
Canada's Largest Ten-minute Play Festival
Playwriting Webinar, May 28, 2020

The inspiraTO Festival was launched,15 years ago, to showcase the beauty and brevity of the ten-minute play. It is has also become a rallying cry, a manifesto, to get more theatre creators interested in this art form.

Each year, right after the Victoria Day weekend, we are involved in the chaotic yet thrilling days of planning and production leading up to the opening of the festival. Instead of opening night on May 28, we are offering a webinar on writing a ten-minute play: Ten Magical Minutes.

It’s important to learn the fundamentals in any art form, especially in writing a ten-minute play. However, some of our favourite ten-minute plays at the inspiraTO Festival, have broken the norms in writing/creating a ten-minute play! With this in mind, we are offering a playwriting webinar that goes beyond the fundamentals and pushes the envelope; from creating absurd pieces, large casts to interactive pieces.

Details here. Limited seats.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/playwriting-webinar-ten-magical-minutes-tickets-105725899010

photo credit: When a Tree Falls by Garret Johnston, blueShow, 8th inspiraTO Festival, L to R: Jane Smythe, Karen Scobie Photo by Ismael Asimov.

WRITE AN 'OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD' TEN-MINUTE PLAY

03/15/2020

inspiraTO 2020 cancelled

As the saying goes, when fishers can’t go to sea they repair nets.

Unfortunately, with a saddened heart, we need to cancel this season’s inspiraTO Festival and instead plan for next year. The Theatre inspiraTO board has confirmed this as the best course of action under the circumstances. We need to take into account the health and well-being of our audiences, artists, crews and volunteers.

We know many of you have been planning and working on your performances and we were looking forward to seeing them. However, at times it’s important to do the right thing.

Many theatre companies and festivals have cancelled or postponed their production until the mid April /early May. As you know, there is a great deal of planning and preparing for a festival this size. The inspiraTO festival is in high gear with participants holding auditions and then following up with rehearsals. The problem is, that as of now, most people have been told to avoid, not just gatherings, but keeping a social distance for at least the next two to three weeks and possibly longer. Everything now must be delayed. More importantly this plays havoc with people’s fears, and even with the most optimistic projections of COVID infection, you can see that it doesn’t create a conducive environment.

Having a show with a small cast and crew for late May would be possible. However, as you are aware, inspiraTO would have over 100 theatre artists (this year easily over 120), another 40 production and F of H volunteers, plus inspiraTO leads who are planning on taking part in mid-May at Alumnae for 3 weeks. You can see the exposure to so many people is very high. Add to that this year is first year we are doing a ‘fringe-style’ model, which means we have less control than we’ve had in the previous years, and the risk factor increases. Should any person in this process, exhibit symptoms or test positive with COVID-19, the chances that almost everyone else associated with the festival will need to be self-quarantined is high and as a consequence we would have to cancel the shows.

Regardless of what the risk level will be at that point, that does not take away from the reality that the possibility of getting infected will be front-and-centre in people’s minds.

The nature of inspiraTO has been always based on hope, inspiration and a large-scale interchange between artists. We do not want to open a festival based on fear and extreme caution.

We feel under these circumstances, that are beyond anyone’s control, for the safety and health of the artists, crew and volunteers we have no other option but to cancel this season and book next season (same time slot).

We will be refunding each participant’s production fee. Please give us time to send you the refund (1- 4 weeks) as we plan this change. We will not refund the lottery fee (the resources which we have used). We cannot promise, next season that your place will be reserved. However, we can promise to keep you posted as to what our plans are for next year.

Theatre is a very communal activity and it’s important to do what’s appropriate for the greater good.

Theatre inspiraTO will bounce back, stronger and more eager than ever, to showcase the work of many inspiring artists and volunteers. We hope you will come with us on that journey.

We wish you resilience.

Our collective spirit will ride this storm.

03/06/2020

TEST DRIVE YOUR CREATIVITY
PLAYWRITING CONTEST

We believe in the principle of a beautiful constraint. This is a fantastic way to tackle a challenging but manageable piece and see your ten-minute play performed on stage. This is a great opportunity to test drive your creativity - six plays will be selected (good odds of getting in!) Last year all the recipients had a blast seeing their work on stage. Deadline to submit: April 20, 2020, Details here: http://www.theatreinspirato.ca/challenge

Photo: Intersection by Josh Downing, blueShow, 10th inspiraTO Festival. L to R: Tom Beattie, Christina Song.

Volunteer at the festival: http://www.theatreinspirato.ca/volunteer

01/24/2020

The draw was held last night with great fanfare and excitement. WINNERS announced for inspiraTO's 2020 Unhinged season: http://www.theatreinspirato.ca/inspirato-unhinged

36 spots. Be part of it all!

2020 UNHINGED LOTTERY DRAW WINNERS
Thank you all for those who came out last night to witness inspiraTO’s inaugural full Unhinged draw for 2020! If your name is DRAWN (below) you have a spot in this season’s inspiraTO Unhinged Festival. You must attend the Jan. 29 meeting to continue. If you are on the waiting list we will keep you posted as soon as someone drops out. Thank you to all those who participated in the draw. Even if you did not get drawn stay connected with us as there will opportunities to participate; those who have been drawn may need scripts, actors, directors etc. We will also have The inspiraTO Challenge (6 plays selected and performed) in February. Be part of it all!!!

DRAW HELD ON JAN. 23, 2020:

Adam Bonney, Mr – waiting list 3rd

Adam Garisto

Alex Clay, The Theatre Circuit -DRAWN

Amanda Myers - DRAWN

Angela Froese, TBA, - DRAWN

Armon Ghaeinizadeh, New Story Productions -DRAWN

Brooke Friendly, Friendly Films

Bruce Williamson, Arby Tee Productions -DRAWN

Carol Libman, Rare Day Projects

Catherine Frid, Watercourse Theatre -DRAWN

Celeste Bianca, On The Brightside Theatre -DRAWN

Christian Collins-O'Leary, Shattered Glass Collective – waiting list 2nd

Christina Sousa, Theatre Pariah

Connie Guccione -DRAWN

Daniela Donayre -DRAWN

Darren Stewart-Jones, Baby Gumm Productions

Derek Weatherdon, Planet 12 Productions

Donna O' Regan -DRAWN

Donovan Jackson, Reverie Theatre -DRAWN

Douglas Tindal -DRAWN

Dylan Magner

Elissa Timothy -DRAWN

Emily Monster LATE-UMS

Jackie Mahoney, Back Pocket Productions -DRAWN

Jade Walker

Jaemoon Lee

Jake Martin – waiting list 5th

Jennifer Turliuk, Koru Labs

Jessika McQueen

Joan Jamieson, Uncommon Loon Productions -DRAWN

Joseph Thomas, Panic

Josh Downing, The Hobby Horse Theatre Co -DRAWN

Justine Cargo, Second Star -DRAWN

Kalli Paakspuu, Calipix Productions

Kimberley Wells, The Boys Club – waiting list 4th

Lauren Greenwood -DRAWN

Lawrence Aronovitch -DRAWN

Lili Pazanin, LiPa Production-DRAWN

Lisa Aikman, Ms. -DRAWN

Lola Gafaar -DRAWN

Marley Kajan, The Creation Coffin -DRAWN

Megan Adam -DRAWN

Megan Jamieson Meaney, coolmegsproductions – waiting list 7th

Michael Moss, TBD

Mirka Loiselle, Restless Legs Theatre

Mitch Moldofsky, New Year's Resolution Productions – waiting list 1st

Neil Jones, Radio Project X -DRAWN

Olivia Costes -waiting list 6th

Patricia Tab -DRAWN

Paul Bilodeau

Paul Meaney, Bird Brain Productions

Radissen Ramoutar, Hungry Theatre -DRAWN

Radoslav Ognjenovic, Graystone Films & Theatre-DRAWN

Rebecca Grace, Roar in the Woods

Sarah John, Silver Swan Puppet Theatre

Shaun Feldman -DRAWN

Shawn Erker, Fifth Wall -DRAWN

Sheila Toller – WINNER OF 2019 CONTEST, AUTOMATICALLY -DRAWN

Shelley Hobbs, Bossy Sparrow Theatre-DRAWN

Susan Castillo-DRAWN

Susan Loncar, Big Shet Productions-DRAWN

Taryn Crankshaw

Winston Stilwell -DRAWN

Zahida Rahemtulla, 1992 -DRAWN