A FESTIVAL OF NEW WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
FEBRUARY 12 - 15, 2025
A dead-of-winter festival highlighting the creative process behind new works.
Join local artists as they chat about what they’re working on and share behind-the-scenes previews of new scripts and designs. In the early stages of your own theatre career? Sign up for a Study Group or our Speed Panel Auditions!
WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 12
THURSDAY
FEBRUARY 13
FRIDAY
FEBRUARY 14
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 15
When Two Stars Collide
Early Stages 2024
(Photo by Daniel Wittnebel)
FEBRUARY 12 @ 2pm - 4pm
AUDITION PREP
Study Group
Guided by Jade and Drew Douris-O'Hara (Shakespeare by the Sea's Artistic Associate and Associate Artistic Director), this introductory workshop will provide actors with all the basics of attending an audition: including the practical details of the submission process, what to expect when walking into "the room" and how to be your most confident self in any audition! This workshop contains a Q&A component to allow for all participants to ask their burning questions about the process of auditioning.
FEBRUARY 12 @ 7:30pm
WELTAMULTIEK
Work-In-Progress Showing by Lara Lewis
As her first birthday after the deaths of both of her grandmothers draws near, Christine is feeling lost. With the help of her friends, she seeks guidance from the spirit world, and makes some unexpected acquaintances -- and delicious meals!​
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Weltamultiek was orginally commissioned as part of Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre's Emerging Indigenous Artist In Residence Program, and was later developed through Nightwood Theatre's Write From the Hip program with dramaturge Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. Additional thanks to Andrea Donaldson, PARC, and prior readers Monica Garrido, Neta Rose, Rowan White, Kya Mosey, & Cole Avis.
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CONTENT NOTE: death, suicidal ideation
FEBRUARY 13 @ 10:30am - 4:30pm
SPEED PANELS
General Auditions
We’re looking for new performers and designers to sign up for one-to-three 10-minute auditions with panels of Artistic leaders across the province. These “Speed Panels” are for new and emerging artists who feel they are not yet known (or well known) by the local theatre community.
Deadline to submit is Saturday, February 1st. Successful applicants will be notified via email by Wednesday, February 5th. Auditions will take place between 10:30am and 1:00pm on Thursday, February 13th.
FEBRUARY 13 @ 1pm - 2pm
ADMINISTRATOR LAPTOP ROUNDUP
A Roundtable Work Session for Arts Administrators
Calling all arts administrators! Bring your laptops for a roundtable show-and-tell question-and-answer period for all of your most burning boring questions!
*This event will take place during the Speed Panel General Auditions lunch break.
FEBRUARY 13 @ 4:30pm - 5:30pm
ROTUNDA HAPPY HOUR
Social Event
Join us in the Alderney Landing Theatre Rotunda for an informal drop-in to have some chats, grab a drink or a bite!
FEBRUARY 14 @ 11am - 4pm
VOCAL RANGE CHECKS
One-on-One Sessions
Join Garry Williams for an hour long vocal check, in which you can discover more about your singing voice. Learn about your voice type, range, timbre, and ways to strengthen your instrument in a friendly, affirming, and positive environment and find repertoire for your audition binder. These are paid, one-on-one sessions — registration required.
FEBRUARY 14 @ 7:30pm
OPEN HEARTS CONCERT
STEWART LEGERE
Dartmouth’s Songbird Stewart Legere and special guests bring the songs of the silver screen to the Alderney Landing stage in an intimate candlelit cabaret featuring all your favourite romantic soundtrack anthems. Including reimagined hits from DIRTY DANCING and more!
FEBRUARY 15 @ 11am - 12pm
CREATIVE ACCESSIBILITY AS AN OBLIQUE STRATEGY FROM A NON-DISABLED ARTIST: ANECDOTES AND ARTISTIC RESEARCH
Rotunda Residency | Artist Talk | Preview
Join visiting artist Leslie Ting for an informal chat about Creative Accessibility in the Arts.
Influenced by witnessing her own mother’s vision loss, Leslie Ting’s practice often centres on the tension between listening and seeing while engaging with creative accessibility with Blind and Low Vision artists and audiences. With the support of Canada Council for the Arts, she is currently developing a process to facilitate meaningful, relational engagement with creative accessibility with Macy Siu, Dr. Jessica Watkin, and Theatre Passe Muraille.
FEBRUARY 15 @ 2:00pm
HOLIDAY
A Work-in-Progress Open Lab by XOSECRET
A film is taking shape. But whose story is it?
That depends on you.
Inspired by vintage slideshow parties, HOLIDAY is a live experiment in memory, participation, and storytelling. You’ll choose the images, shape the journey, and decide what stays—what lingers and what fades.
This is an early test.
FEBRUARY 15 @ 7:30pm
DIRTY DANCING
Galentine's Movie Night
Join us for a nostalgic screening of Dirty Dancing, with a special musical performance!
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Bring a Valentine, palentine (or yourself!) for a cozy Galentine’s Day screening of Dirty Dancing, complete with popcorn, snacks, and a special performance!
PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN-AFFORD
We believe that theatre is for everyone, and try to offer affordable options to make sure there are no financial barriers in the way of anyone coming out to see a show.
If you are able to afford the full price, we encourage you to do so.
If price is still a barrier, please reach out to Kat@EasternFrontTheatre.com
Volunteers see the show for free!
