Alberta Theatre Projects
Encyclopedia
Alberta Theatre Projects ("ATP") is a Canadian
theatre production company, founded in 1972, based at the Martha Cohen Theatre in Calgary, Alberta.
Its stated mission is, "To enrich the lives of our audience and grow that audience by producing a season of celebrated contemporary theatre and by taking a national leadership role in the development of new Canadian plays."
They believe that Canada’s cultural richness is worth celebrating through the arts, and that their creative endeavors are worth sharing with one another and the world; that investment in the arts by government, the private sector and individuals is in the public good; that all forms of artistic expression including work that is challenging and risk-taking; and in creating a workforce and environment that exemplifies integrity, teamwork, performance excellence, exploration and innovation, and had lifelong learning aspirations.
ATP started as a children's company in 1972 specializing in historical plays and has grown into one of the largest producers of new plays in Canada. Originally located in the 198 seat Canmore Opera House at Heritage Park, they have since moved to the 480-seat Martha Cohen Theatre. As of 2008/2009, ATP has produced 333 plays, 234 of them Canadian. (70% Canadian content during their 36 years). The company has received 62 Betty Mitchell Awards (Calgary's theatre awards) since the program was introduced in 1998. Since 1985 Allan Rae
has been composer-in-residence at ATP and many of ATP's productions contain his music.
Vanessa Porteous was appointed in 2009 to the position of Artistic Director at ATP, becoming the first female Artistic Director in the company's history. She was named The Most Compelling Calgarian and Calgary's Arts Person of the Year in 2009 by the Calgary Herald.
As part of the Enbridge playRites Festival, ATP has produced work by over 70 Canadian playwrights, including: Linda Griffiths, Colleen Murphy, Mieko Ouchi, Conni Massing, Eugene Stickland, Stephen Massicotte, Joan MacLeod, Sally Clark, Wendy Lill, Brad Fraser, Guillermo Verdecchia, Janet Munsil, Sean Dixon, Amiel Gladstone
and Sky Gilbert.
Joan MacLeod, playwright for Another Home Invasion which premiered at the 2009 Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays, was nominated for a 2009 Governor General's Literary Award. Hannah Moscovitch, playwright for East of Berlin which was one of the ATP cornerstone plays in the 2008/2009 season, was also nominated.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
theatre production company, founded in 1972, based at the Martha Cohen Theatre in Calgary, Alberta.
Its stated mission is, "To enrich the lives of our audience and grow that audience by producing a season of celebrated contemporary theatre and by taking a national leadership role in the development of new Canadian plays."
They believe that Canada’s cultural richness is worth celebrating through the arts, and that their creative endeavors are worth sharing with one another and the world; that investment in the arts by government, the private sector and individuals is in the public good; that all forms of artistic expression including work that is challenging and risk-taking; and in creating a workforce and environment that exemplifies integrity, teamwork, performance excellence, exploration and innovation, and had lifelong learning aspirations.
ATP started as a children's company in 1972 specializing in historical plays and has grown into one of the largest producers of new plays in Canada. Originally located in the 198 seat Canmore Opera House at Heritage Park, they have since moved to the 480-seat Martha Cohen Theatre. As of 2008/2009, ATP has produced 333 plays, 234 of them Canadian. (70% Canadian content during their 36 years). The company has received 62 Betty Mitchell Awards (Calgary's theatre awards) since the program was introduced in 1998. Since 1985 Allan Rae
Allan Rae (composer)
Allan Rae is a Canadian composer, conductor, and trumpeter based in Calgary. An associate and former board member of the Canadian Music Centre and a member of the Canadian League of Composers, he is particularly known for his works for the theatre which include several musicals and operas as well...
has been composer-in-residence at ATP and many of ATP's productions contain his music.
Vanessa Porteous was appointed in 2009 to the position of Artistic Director at ATP, becoming the first female Artistic Director in the company's history. She was named The Most Compelling Calgarian and Calgary's Arts Person of the Year in 2009 by the Calgary Herald.
Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays
Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays was piloted in 1987, and was a leading performing arts event of the 1988 Olympic Arts Festival in Calgary. As of 2008/2009, the Enbridge playRites Festival has produced 99 world premiere plays. 271 subsequent productions of 64 of these plays have appeared across Canada soon after the festival. There have been over 235 productions of plays premiered at the Enbridge playRites Festival throughout Canada and around the world.As part of the Enbridge playRites Festival, ATP has produced work by over 70 Canadian playwrights, including: Linda Griffiths, Colleen Murphy, Mieko Ouchi, Conni Massing, Eugene Stickland, Stephen Massicotte, Joan MacLeod, Sally Clark, Wendy Lill, Brad Fraser, Guillermo Verdecchia, Janet Munsil, Sean Dixon, Amiel Gladstone
Amiel Gladstone
Amiel Gladstone is a Canadian playwright and director. A graduate of the University of Victoria, Gladstone is a founder of Theatre Skam, an alternative theatre company in Victoria, BC and is the former Artistic Associate at Caravan Farm Theatre and the Belfry Theatre...
and Sky Gilbert.
Productions
Outside the Enbridge playRites Festival, ATP produces five contemporary plays each season. Recent productions include: Shakespeare's Dog (Leon Rooke, adapted by Rick Chafe), I, Claudia (Kristen Thomson), Toad of Toad Hall (Kenneth Grahame, adpated by Philip Goulding). ATP has also presented work by Canadian companies such as: Theatre Newfoundland Labrador, Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes, Mammalian Diving Reflex, The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, and Crow's Theatre.Joan MacLeod, playwright for Another Home Invasion which premiered at the 2009 Enbridge playRites Festival of New Canadian Plays, was nominated for a 2009 Governor General's Literary Award. Hannah Moscovitch, playwright for East of Berlin which was one of the ATP cornerstone plays in the 2008/2009 season, was also nominated.