Community Outreach and Education
The Belfry offers a number of programmes designed to enrich your theatre-going experience, as well as outreach activities aimed at students and emerging and established artists within our community.
Afterplay
Our talkbacks, or Question & Answer sessions, take place following the second Thursday performance of each show (check our calendar for dates). After the curtain call, some of the actors and technicians will return to the stage to answer your questions, and provide insight into the play you have just experienced. These Q & A sessions generally last 20 minutes.
Re:actor
Re:actor takes the talkback to a whole new level. We transform the theatre lobby into a lounge and offer relaxed and interactive evenings with renowned Canadian theatre artists, free of charge. Come and listen, ask questions, enjoy a coffee or a beer, and expand your social network.
Belfry 101
Belfry 101 is our signature educational program, specially developed for students in Grades 11 and 12. Students apply to take part in the program and commit between 40 and 100 hours over the course of the school year. Belfry 101 provides a safe and accepting place where young people can explore themes of humanity and larger social issues, while gaining an understanding of professional theatre and the creation process.
Belfry 101 Onstage and Offstage
A number of the Belfry 101 students move into the Belfry 101 Onstage programme, which takes the creation process even further, offering them an opportunity to collectively create their own production for the SPARK Festival. During their Spring Break, these students spend one week at the Belfry exploring, improvising, writing, and ultimately creating their own production based on their responses to themes and images from the shows they have seen throughout the Belfry season. Belfry 101 Offstage students have opportunities to learn about stage management and other technical aspects of theatre with professionals in the field.
Participation in Belfry 101 is by application. The programme runs from September to April. The students pay only the cost of half-price tickets for five shows.
Incubator
Our Incubator initiative is a springboard for Vancouver Island’s most exciting artists, whether new on the scene, or already established. Incubator aims to help local independent theatre companies explore new artistic territory. If companies have exciting ideas for expanding their artistic reach, the Belfry will offer resources and mentorship to help make it happen. Application forms for Incubator 2012 are available here.
Worldplay
Worldplay is a series of public readings produced by Puente Theatre – readings of plays in translation, new or established, from a diversity of cultures – and hosted at the Belfry Theatre. Each reading is followed by a casual discussion of the play, often with the playwright and/or translator in attendance. Worldplay is a compelling way to discover other cultures and approaches to theatre.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are offered in conjunction with the University of Victoria’s Theatre Department and the Canadian College of Performing Arts. The Belfry Theatre offers apprenticeships in performance, production, design, stage management, and audience services.
Professional Development Workshops
A feature of the SPARK Festival, we offer a variety of stimulating workshops with leading theatre practitioners from across the country.
Reading Copies
Reading copies of plays from seasons past and present are available in our Script Library. Whether you are looking for a monologue for an audition or would like to spend more time getting to know a play you’ve just seen, our Script Library is a good resource.
If you would like to learn more about these activities, or to join our Re:actor e-news list for our outreach events, please contact us at reactor@belfry.bc.ca
Upcoming Shows
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Introduction to Fitzmaurice Voicework® Workshop
Playwrights Workshop with Charles Tidler returns Tuesday, February 7
Woman on the Verge
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