For Immediate Release
Audition Notice:
What: Open auditions for adult artists with developmental disabilities
Why: For a new show to be performed at the McPherson Playhouse in Feb 2018
Where: Victoria Event Centre - 1415 Broad St
When: 9 - 11:45 am & 12:15 - 2:30pm, February 16 & 23
Victoria based Delusional Productions, creators of “Derwin Blanshard’s Extremely Classy Sunday Evening Programme” have returned with a unique and large scale project to be created and performed by adult artists with developmental disabilities. Open auditions will be held on February 16 & 23 at the Victoria Event Centre, 1415 Broad St., between 9am-2:30pm. Performers will have up to 5 minutes share their particular talents while writers and visual artists are encouraged to bring samples of their work. All auditions will include a short interview.
“We are looking for writers, performers, dancers, comedians, songwriters, graphic artists… any type of artist may audition.” says Kathryn Popham, producer and self-described “Head of Practicalities” for Delusional Productions.
“Head of Impracticalities” for the project, Wes Borg, will act as artistic director. Wes and Kathryn have received a “New Chapter” Canada Council grant to help produce a 5 performance run of a new musical comedy show written by and starring local artists with developmental disabilities at the McPherson Playhouse in February 2018. This extraordinary and unique project will see between 10-20 artists with “diversabilities” work over the year with established Canadian artists Carolyn Mark, Alice Nelson, Geoff Berner, Britt Small, Kris Demeanor and Brad Fraser.
Wes has been teaching “everything from computers to comedy” for the past 5 years at Lifetime Networks - an organization offering support for adults with disabilities in the community. Wes and local actress Cyllene Richmond are in their second year of running a “Theatre Troupe”, through Lifetime Networks every Monday and Tuesday at the Victoria Event Centre. In fact, working with this group inspired the idea.
“The explosion of creativity that erupted when we started working with (local Juno nominee) Carolyn Mark was unbelievable,” Borg says, “and Kathryn and I knew we could produce something extraordinary with these artists, that there were probably more of them out there, and that if we did it, everyone should get paid for their work, as opposed to paying us for workshops. Kathryn said, ‘to do that you’d need a grant.’ So she went out and got one!”
ALL ARTISTS WILL BE PAID FOR WORKS GENERATED DURING THE PROJECT. All material created during the workshops will remain the creative property of their creator(s). All songwriting royalties will be paid to all artists via SOCAN.
Click here to register for audition
Delusional Productions is also looking for partners and co-sponsors for this project. Contact Lauren Bierd at [email protected] or 778-967-3841 or visit our website www.DramaClubVictoria.ca
