Crash Course in Indie Theatre & Fringe Festival Producing

Artistic Executive Director Emily Dix & Bygone Chair Conor Fitzgerald run this condensed version of their popular Producing 101 workshop, with a special focus on producing for Fringe shows.

Learn about scheduling, creating budgets, fundraising, marketing, and more in this interactive workshop that invites participants to come with their own show-specific questions.

Open to all, aimed towards artists working in the Greater Toronto Area.

Participation is free, but donations towards our 2022/23 season would be appreciated.

ACCESSIBILITY:

The workshop is being delivered in English with visual aids and automatically generated captions. If you require specific accommodation, please email us in advance (info@bygonetheatre.com) and we will do our best to provide you the full experience.

REQUIREMENTS:

Access to a computer with internet connection. Participants are encouraged to turn on their cameras to ask questions or make comments, but this is not required. Questions may be submitted via text as well.

No experience necessary, but will be most beneficial to those with at least a cursory knowledge of Toronto and the indie theatre community.

Please register here if you plan to attend.

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Careers in the Arts – A Bygone Theatre Webinar

Interested in working in the arts, but don’t know where to start? This unique workshop will provide students with a realistic view into the arts world, guiding them through a host of career paths and the steps to follow to get there.

Bygone Artistic Executive Director Emily Dix will cover topics such as;
– Post-secondary programs here and abroad
– Skill building without formal education
– Unconventional arts related careers
– How to network in the arts
– How to build a resume or portfolio, and more.

Aimed at secondary students, this webinar is open to all, and is being subsidized through anonymous support so we can offer it FREE to all who are interested.

While you do not have to be from a specific geographic area to participate, it will be focused primarily on opportunities and practises from South Western Ontario, specifically the GTA.

No experience necessary, just an interest in learning about arts related careers, particularly those related to theatre and film.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Saturday February 26, 1-3pm.
Online via Zoom: https://yorku.zoom.us/j/93663931843 

ACCESSIBILITY: 
The webinar is being delivered in English, with visual aids and automatically generated captions. If you require specific accommodation, please email us in advance and we will do our best to provide you the full experience.

INTERACTION:
We encourage participants to turn on their cameras, at least for the discussion section at the end, but this is not required. Questions can be asked via your mic, the chat, or sent by private message if you’d like to ask anonymously.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:
This webinar is being hosted by our Artistic Executive Director Emily Dix, a white woman with an invisible disability. She will share her personal experiences working in the arts and will provide info for programs and opportunities that exist for marginalized people as well as those open to all.

If you have any questions prior to the webinar, or to request accommodation, please email emily@bygonetheatre.com.

We’re Runner-Up!

Thank you Toronto for voting us the runner-up for Best Small Theatre for NOW Magazine’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards!

Congrats to all the winners and nominees, and special shout-out to:

Best Small Theatre, Coal Mine Theatre

Best Site-Specific Theatre, Outside the March

Best Independent Theatre, Revue Cinema

Best Vintage Clothing Store, Courage My Love

Modern Vintage Style (The Sustainable Way)

Can’t find the real thing for your authentic vintage look? Check out these modern retailers who are working to keep the style alive while keeping sustainability in mind.

Besame Cosmetics

Created by artist and cosmetic historian Gabriela Hernandez, Besame has a line of truly beautiful reproduction makeup. From authentic period styled false lashes to collections celebrating icons like Marilyn Monroe, you can be sure to find a little vintage something to dress up your vanity and your face. The best part? Besame is creating with sustainability in mind, so you can replace makeup pans without tossing away a whole plastic compact. Plus, their makeup is cruelty free: read their blog post to learn more about that and why it’s so important.

LBCC Historical Apothecary

This company’s motto of “live natural, be historical” truly is the best way of describing their shop. LBCC creates organic, eco-friendly makeup, skin and hair care products based off historical recipes dating from the Regency Era up the the 1930s. Their work is meticulously researched and perfect for anyone who truly wants an authentic vintage experience. Their products feature copies of the original labels, so they look very sweet on a vintage vanity as well. Because they have few ingredients, they tend to be good for those of us with sensitive skin – I haven’t had a reaction to anything I’ve bought from them. And the prices are incredible, they are clearly a group doing this for the pure love of it.

Sheertex

There are times we’re lucky enough to stumble across a vintage pair of thigh-highs, and if you’re like me you wince every time you pull them on, worrying that they will snag and run. By and large stockings and pantyhose are not as common as they once were, but I think most of us who wear skirts or dresses have a pair or two tucked in the drawer for certain occasions. That’s where Sheertex comes in. Yes, they are very expensive, but these babies WILL NOT RIP. You can see on their site the many trials they put them through and I don’t know what magic they’ve used, but I’m here for it. The best part? They make a sheer, backseam thigh high that’s perfect for us vintage lovers.

Building a More Sustainable Stage Manager Kit

For the first of our Sustainable Sunday posts, we’re going to look at environmental sustainability and how we can work towards that in theatre. First up! Stage Manager kits.

Highlighters:

I’ve never known an SM who doesn’t have a wide variety of highlighters in their kit – unfortunately, on top of being made of plastic, these can be prone to drying out, creating a lot of unnecessary waste. Try for pencil highlighters instead – no plastic, no risk of drying out, fit easily in your pencil case. Check out Etsy for ones like these.

Sticky Notes:

As much as I hate the waste, I’ll admit, sticky notes are a big part of my life. Ideally, of course, you’d use none, or at least fewer than you likely do now, but if you’re like me and find every prompt book is doubled in size by your stickies, try some like this: 100% recycled material, 100% recyclable, and plant-based adhesive. And after the show, recycle those bad boys!

Staples:

Instead of staples, try using paper clips! I was pleasantly surprised to find these recycled ones on a Canadian site, made with 90% recycled materials.

Staples (Again):

If you’re looking for something more heavy-duty than paperclips, binder clips are a great alternative. I like to have a variety of sizes and colours as I use that to sort things as well. After the show, just pop them back into your kit! I haven’t had any luck finding recycled ones, but if you come across some, post the link in the comments.

Batteries:

All SMs need at least some AA batteries in their kit, for things like flashlights, on-set practicals, what have you. These eneloop pro rechargeable batteries are praised on several sites for having great charging power and capacity – and look! You can get them somewhere other than Amazon.

Spike Tape:

Another SM necessity, unfortunately there aren’t too many eco-friendly types out there (it’s the nature of the glue needed). While you may be stuck with the usual glow & electrical tape, when you’re blocking rehearsals try for something paper based, like this.

Gaff Tape:

As mentioned above, it’s difficult to produce a truly eco friendly tape as the glue needs to be something that sticks to surfaces, without sticking too much to itself on the roll. The best I’ve found so far is this UK import that uses recyclable packaging, rubber-based adhesive and reduced chemical agents. (Of course, if you need to import it from overseas, consider the environmental costs of doing that – no perfect answer for us Canadians, yet).

Cable Ties:

Now, if you’re looking for strength, admittedly, the typical plastic zip ties may be what you need to use, but when it comes to organizing your cables and keeping them safely bundled away, there’s no reason not to go reusable.

In addition to these you can also save by investing in quality items. Instead of grabbing a binder from the dollar store that needs to be replaced every show, try for a sturdier one that can be used time and again. Use pencils instead of pens (don’t forget to pack a sharpener!) or try for refillable pens. Bring your refillable water bottle, pack it all in a sturdy kit and you’re good to go!

Got more ideas for sustainable SM kits? Let us know in the comments below.

E.

Broadway World Toronto Award Nominations

Broadway World Toronto is currently accepting nominations for their regional awards, and this year they are not only giving them out for streaming productions, but also for Most Innovative Theatre, Most Anticipated Upcoming Production and Theatre You’re Most Excited To Get Back To! If you think we’d be a good fit for any of those categories we’d love your support! Nominations for those (and other awards) can be submitted here.

We’ve Been Nominated!

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been nominated for Best Live Theatre for the Toronto Star Readers’ Choice Awards!

As the smallest and youngest company on the list, it’s exciting to be able to represent some of Toronto’s indie theatre.

Voting is open until September 12 – if you’ve liked what you’ve seen from us before, and can’t wait to see more in the future, please take a moment to case your vote by clicking here.

Something For The Buoys

The first show of our 2019/20 season is just around the corner! October 9-20 join us at the George Ignatieff Theatre in Toronto for Eli Pasic’s Something For The Buoys!

This parody of 1930s nautical musicals is being presented by Larry Silverberg and is produced by Sapling Productions in association with Bygone Theatre. Sapling is taking the creative lead while we here at Bygone help behind the scenes to mount the world premiere of this ambitious new musical comedy.

Listen to the recent Stageworthy Podcast for some insights into the creative process.

Tickets are on sale now, use the code BTVIP at checkout to save 25% off general admission!

SYNOPSIS: A starry-eyed sailor named Jimmy feels lonely and wants nothing more than to find his true love. Accompanied by Larry, his womanizing best pal, he sneaks ashore and enters the wonderful world of New York City. Of course, Jimmy immediately stumbles upon his true love. But between a big-time Broadway offer and a cranky captain with an Alka-Seltzer addiction, will Jimmy sail into the sun and live happily ever after before the final curtain? Who Knows!

FEATURING
Rob Sapienza as Jimmy
Tom Finn as Larry
Alison Beckwith as Sarah
Jacquie Martin as Betty
Kathleen Doerkson as Doris
Anthony Botelho as Captain
Justan Myers and Robert Popoli as Sailor #1 and Sailor #2

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Eli Pasic
MUSIC DIRECTION BY Jackson Seib
CHOREOGRAPHY BY Alayna Kellett
SET & PROP DESIGN BY Emily Dix
LIGHTING DESIGN BY Wesley Babcock
SOUND DESIGN BY Shaun McPherson
HAIR & MAKEUP BY Sinéad Plunkett-Blazi
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT BY Bryan Kling
STAGE MANAGEMENT BY Kaitlind Gorman
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGEMENT BY Kathleen-Sonja Mooney-Childs

PRODUCED BY Bryan Kling and Rob Sapienza of Sapling, Emily Dix and Conor Fitzgerald of Bygone Theatre. Executive Producer Larry Silverberg.

Crooning Comics

Bygone Theatre, in association with Godfrey & Finns, presents

Crooning Comics

The creators of the BroadwayWorld.com ‘Best Cabaret, Toronto, 2018’
are back at the LOT!

TORONTO, ON (Friday April 26, 2019): Bygone Theatre has once again teamed up with the talented fellas behind past Finn & Friends productions such as A Night With Frank & Judy, A Rat-Packed Christmas and The Cab(aret) Before Christmas – Godfrey & Finns. The trio consists of comedians James Godfrey (the Disney Channel, Dangerously Safe Comedy) and Kevin Finn (Colin Mochrie Improv Award winner) and classic crooner Thomas Finn (Hairspray, SPAMalot, Anything Goes).

“My sides still hurt from laughing! What a great show don’t miss these
three outstanding performers!”
– Julie Morin, Theatre Professor

Come join the crooning comedic trio fresh off their Ontario-wide Christmas tour (A Rat-Packed Christmas Comedy Hour) and see them at their madcap and musical best! An evening of sketches, impressions and songs from the Golden Age of Music. Featuring the vocal stylings of Julia Carrer. On for one night only, Thursday May 16, 7:30pm – tickets on sale now!

“I sat in the sold-out Simcoe Street Theatre in Collingwood and laughed until my face hurt! I was in awe of the talent these three human beings possess!”
– Sara Benjamin

Crooning Comics
Created by Thomas Finn
RECOMMENDED for ages 12+ | ADVISORY: adult subject matter.
SHOW DATES: Thursday May 16, 7:30pm
LOCATION: The Lower Ossington Theatre | 100 Ossington Ave., Toronto, ON
BOX OFFICE: ticketwise.com| ADMISSION: $25
Visit http://www.bygonetheatre.com | Twitter & Instagram @BygoneTheatre @GodfreyAndFinns

A Very Vintage Christmas – Retro Mid Century Xmas Ornaments

As much as we may be in denial about winter being here, it’s hard to deny Christmas is around the corner when you’re bombarded by Christmas music in all the malls and decorations starting to pop up in stores and street corners. Instead of grumbling about how it all starts “too early”, we’ve decided to embrace it and take this time to help you prep for your own holiday celebrations, vintage style. Here’s our list of where to source the best decorations for those of you who like a “classic” feel.

Cheerful Reproduction Ornaments

Nothing says retro Christmas like the classic Shiny Brite ornaments. The most popular ornaments of the 1940s & 50s, they faded out of fashion in the later half of the 20th century, but in 2001 Christopher Radko began reproducing them, complete with vintage style box! You can find them a lot of places online, including Amazon.

 

 

Kurt Adler is another company that has really nailed the vintage aesthetic. You can find his stuff on Amazon as well, and he’s got everything from sparkly glass ornaments to small novelty characters, bubble lights, and classic clip-on birds, as seen below.

Garlands, Tinsel & Icicles – Oh My!

No vintage tree is complete without some classic garlands and tinsel. Retro Festive has a super fun popcorn garland (if you want the look without the salty temptation) The Holiday Barn has a  candy garland if you prefer something sweeter, and of course there’s the classic Shiny Brite garland, again from Amazon.

For tinsel, you can try a garland like this kitchy pink one from The Holiday Barn, get some beautiful handmade tin icicles from Pietersma Tinworks, or go with a real classic like Brite Star tinsel strands. While all of these are available from Amazon, I have lucked out before and come across some Brite Star type stuff at Dollarama. They get their share of decent stuff and it’s dirt cheap!

Retro Keepsake Ornaments

Maybe you’re not looking to replicate a classic tree, and just want something to show off your retro-loving personality. If that’s the case, there are a tone of cute and kitschy “keepsake” ornaments out there, like these fun little guys from Old World Christmas or Winterworm (bonus – they’re in our colours!).

 

You can get both of those on Amazon. Or you can check out specialty stores like The Holiday Barn and find ones like these retro cars and trailers, which are always fun.

Of course you can also take your chances scouring vintage shops, Etsy or Ebay for some authentic vintage pieces, though the prices can be steep, and if you’re worried about little hands or paws knocking things over, you might want to steer clear of the real thing.

What’s your favourite spot to score a vintage style ornament? Let us know in the comments below.

-E.