Summer is one of the busiest, most exciting times for Insight Theatre; a time when we begin building a new troupe and a new show.  And this year we’re looking for a new drama coach!

If you’re a high school graduate with a flair for drama and an interest in working with you, check out our job listing below.  A summer spent with Insight will be an experience you won’t soon forget.

————————————————————————————————-

Planned Parenthood Ottawa offers education, counselling and referral services to assist and support people in making informed sexual and reproductive health choices.
Insight Theatre is a youth-focused, peer education theatre troupe that uses drama to teach sexual health concepts to senior elementary and high school students in the Ottawa Carleton region.

DRAMA COACH CONTRACT

The drama coach reports to the Insight Theatre coordinator and works with troupe members during summer training and fall rehearsals. The Drama coach is primarily responsible for developing and executing drama training during summer sessions and providing guidance during the creation of Insight’s show.

JOB DESCRIPTION
The drama coach is supervised by the Insight Theatre Coordinator. The drama coach is responsible for working with the coordinator and the drama assistants throughout the audition, summer training and show creation/rehearsal period.

RESPONSIBILITIES

·    Work alongside the coordinator and provide guidance, support and training to the drama assistants.
·    Work as a member of the team in the development of audition requirements, summer training activities and rehearsal guidelines.
·    Assist in screening and selecting drama assistants.
·    Assist in screening and selecting troupe members for summer training.
·    Develop and conduct drama warm-ups, activities and games to help advance the youths’ performance skills.
·    Maintain a daily activity log for Summer Training and a resource binder for drama exercises, games and activities related to Insight Theatre.
·    Create a setting in which the youth can improvise scenes on sexual and reproductive health issues and other Insight issues.
·    Assist in selecting the final two performance troupes.
·    Facilitate the troupes’ development, creation and rehearsal of an Insight show.
·    Participate in ongoing teambuilding, conflict resolution and support with coordinator and drama assistants.
·    Represent Planned Parenthood Ottawa in a professional manner and in accordance with guidelines agreed upon with the Insight Theatre coordinator.
·    Participate in meetings with the coordinator as needed.

CONTRACT DATES
July 1st, 2011 – October 15th, 2011

QUALIFICATIONS
– Energetic
– Secondary school diploma (college or university would be considered an asset)
– Background in drama/theatre, particularly improvisation, movement and scene work
– Knowledge of sexual health
– Comfortable working in a sex-positive, pro-choice, inclusive environment
– Strong leadership abilities
– Abliity to work independently.

PROFESSIONAL FEE
The Drama Coach will be paid a total of $2,500 for the entire contract.

HOURS OF ACTIVITY
This is a part-time contract.  Hours vary throughout the contract between 5 and 35 hours per week. The Drama Coach must be available for the following:
– one evening of auditions in mid-July
– Summer Training: Monday through Friday, from 9am-4pm, August 2nd – August 12th
– Fall rehearsals: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-9pm, September 7th-September 26th
– Fall premiere: date in October TDB
– meetings with Insight Theatre Coordinator as required.

Please e-mail résumé, cover letter and contact information for 2 references to Nadine Thornhill at insight@ppottawa.ca, with  the subject heading “Drama Coach” no later than Friday, April 29th, 2011.  We thank everyone who applies, but only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

What’s Bill C-389?  It’s a private member’s bill put forth by NDP MP Bill Siskay.  It a nutshell, the bill forbids discrimination on the basis of gender identity or gender expression.  If the Senate approves the bill, transphobic crimes may now carry the additional legal penalty of being hate crimes.

I, for one, think it’s about time!  What about you?

To learn more about Bill C-389, what some supporters are saying and to get a quick and easy overview of the legislative process, check out this article over at Autostraddle.

If you are a trans youth in Ottawa looking for support or just a great people to hang with, Pink Triangle Youth, offer a tons of programs and activities for GBLTTQQ youth ages 18-15

So, October is now here. This is, without a doubt, my favorite month. It’s probably around this time that Fall truly begins to show its yellow, melancholy colors; the sky itself seems to be in a calm, mellow frame of mind, and the trees are all busy shedding their leaves to prepare for the upcoming winter. Not only that, there is much to look forward to this month! (Like Halloween, aaaaand my birthday. ^.^)

More importantly, Oct. 24 marks our first performance. I admit I am semi-terrified about this thought. I find it’s a lot harder, when acting, to perform material you yourself have created. When people judge our skits, not only will they be judging the skits themselves, they will be judging us for having made them… At the same time though, I feel pretty happy with what we have developing. I feel there is a lot of great ideas we’ve crafted, and I truthfully can’t wait to see others reactions to them.

In general, I love Insight. This is truly one of THOSE experiences; the kind I’ll find myself thinking back to when I’m like one-hundred and forty, and nostalgiaing all over. (And nostalgiaing is now a word.) I truly love the group we have; I feel so comfortable around all you peoples. You’re all so open-minded. It’s nice.

Oh, and like Aisha said; we love you Jon and Nadine. We wouldn’t be as far as we are if we didn’t have your constructive criticism and enjoyable laughs to urge us on!

And, I kind of don’t have a conclusion for this. I think I’m going to shave my sideburns finally today, so I may feel semi-naked on Monday. See you all then!

Luv

Agent A (Aidan)

So we’ve been having rehearsals for about… three or four weeks now. Personally, I think our ship of scenes and people and knowledge is sailing smooth as can be. We’ve got tons of scenes that I love (and I hoped the rest of the troupe loves them too!) and behind the scenes are our fabulous troupe of 8, PLUS our two unbelievably amazing adults who tell us when we’re off. Wow, I just realized in total there are ten of us.

Anyway, Insight seems to have become a huge part in my life. I mean, once I realized I was on the troupe, I kind of figured it would be a pretty significant piece of this year, but I hadn’t realized it would be this… big.

It’s strange, because I’ve never been terribly comfortable talking about all the stuff we talk about (and we talk about a LOT of stuff) but here I am in scenes where we’re completely open about issues youth face every day. I find it’s helped me become more willing to talk about everything with people not in the troupe.

I suppose that doesn’t seem so significant – handy, but maybe not the biggest thing in my life. But obviously, there are other reasons why Insight is the second biggest thing in my life. The people I work with twice a week – the troupe, Nadine, Jon – have become a second family for me. I love them all as if I’ve known them for years, when in all reality I’ve known them for three months, which really isn’t that long.

Speaking of Nadine and Jon, gosh. I think I ought to let you guys know, and I’m nearly positive I’m speaking for all of the troupe, we love you. I’ve got no clue how we’d get through this without you guys, and thank you for doing this.

On a side note, I got a haircut today and it’s alright, but the hairdresser did this weird thing in the back of it, that I’m not entirely fond of. And I think my mum and I are going to finish the skirt we’ve been working on tonight. Thought everyone should know this.

Love,

Aisha (Troupe Member)

Now that I’m all grown up (at least on the outside)  autumn still heralds a time for shiny newness. This fall is no exception.  I’m four weeks into a fantastic new job as Program Co-ordinator for Insight Theatre!  There are several facets to the position all of which are sweet, tasty biscuits!   I’m part of the Planned Parenthood Ottawa staff.  Team PPO are a group of hardcore intelligent, active, informed, super-fun women.  I spend a lot of time just soaking up the awesome around the office.  Speaking of the office, my personal office has the most comfortable couch (feel free to stop by and sit sometime)!   Some of my most fervent beliefs are reflected in the work I do.  I repeat: sweet, tasty biscuits!

I also have the privilege of creating a show with a wonderful team of youth.  Eight talented, insightful teens from across the Ottawa region who are starting afresh with their new school years, are also working together to create a new season of Insight Theatre! Rehearsals are perhaps the easiest part of my job.  I show up, sit back and watch in amazement as the troupe explore topics like masturbation, STIs and pregnancy options with fresh, creative juice.  I could write ten blog entries singing their praises.  But a key rule of theatre is “show don’t tell”.  So rather than taking my word for it, the troupe members will be writing their own posts, so you can see first hand what exceptional people they are.

The year ahead will certainly be fraught with the highs and lows we all go through.  But for now, I’m enjoying the newness of this experience, eager to see where Insight takes me next.

- Nadine (Insight Theatre Program Co-ordinator)