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Urjo Kareda Resident

2002-2003 - Kilby Smith-McGregor

Projects Included:
Fishwife, production assistant
Tarragon Play-Reading Week, assistant to the coordinator
Cover Her Face, playwright
Little Mercy's First Murder, script assistant
Avoid Seeing Red (workshop), writer/director
Russell Hill, script associate
No Great Mischief (George Brown workshop), contributing director
Under Twenty Playwriting Contest, jury member/mentor
Tarragon Spring Arts Fair, artist liaison/copy coordinator

Office Space/Administrative Supplies
A room of one's own, as it were, is certainly important to a writer (though I think it holds for a resident in any discipline). There were many pluses to working in the green room (large, beautiful, central) but there's something isolating about not being able to make your mark - pin up photos, leave papers on your desk etc. I felt a bit like I had to erase myself at the end of the day, which perhaps does not instill the strongest sense of belonging - on the other hand, I know space is a bit tight in the building and I'm not sure if there's a way to make a more 'embedded' residence office. However, one of the other aspects to having an artistic home is having an administrative one - photocopy, fax, phone and mailing privileges are an important tool and resource available to a resident (which I now desperately miss). I would encourage future residents to have a Tarragon computer set up and connected to the network (even if they own a laptop), it's important to have the flexibility and literally feel connected.

Ongoing Professional Development Meetings
Keeping in touch: keeping on top of keeping in touch, even when it's hard to keep on top of anything else. Semi-Regular one-on-one meetings with Richard and Henry kept me sane, and healthily critical of myself and the experience. Having one or two primary contacts is key in keeping grounded in your residency - because communication, honesty and problem solving are what you have to get you through and help you fly. You find yourself in contact with so many different artists on so many different projects it can be a bit dizzying - get grounded. Part of the process of taking responsibility for oneself in this position is keeping your mentors responsible to you in their forms of support.

Youth Mentorship Etc.
I would strongly recommend building/developing a youth mentorship component of this residency. Being a part of the Under Twenty Playwriting Contest jury, and more significantly, a mentor and Spring Arts Fair director/dramaturge to finalist Andrea Lau (and even being a Paprika host) were great aspects of being at the Tarragon. Working as a contributing director on No Great Mischief with the GBC students was also a highlight - again so hands-on and giving me the responsibility of creative control. In retrospect, I would have loved to have done something with the spring-trainers as well. Developing the skills of teaching and mentorship helps any artist become more solid in their craft and leadership abilities. It's also a fantastic challenge and a real and exciting way to give back to the theatre community.

Studio Time/Public Presentation
Working on an individual project is also an important part of the residency. Studio space would probably seem the least helpful to a technical resident but I would encourage anyone to find a project that they can pursue in the studio - perhaps a workshop on low-fi tech/scenic integration into the rehearsal process with a couple of short scripts…who knows, but working in the rehearsal hall is a key experience, even if it's not traditionally where you would spend most of your time (producers, writers, designers). Very important in considering a studio project: money to salary collaborators if it's not a pre-existing pre-funded project - this is something artists need to think about as soon as they find out they'll be in residence (also book ahead with Kristen). Had the nature of the project I undertook during my workshop time in the studio not been so sensitive, I would have certainly held a public rehearsal for tarragon staff and invited guests to get feedback and engage in discussion. I think this would be ideal for future residents, and that they might also have an opportunity to mount a more public presentation should they desire - it's an excellent opportunity for an artist to showcase their work while they have the recognition of being attached to the Tarragon.

Season Shows and Tarragon Events
Working on season shows will probably constitute a large part of the residency, probably in some assistant directing, designing or script associate capacity. Observe, engage, and process the experience. This can be a difficult thing for an artist that is used to having a large degree of artistic control on the projects they're involved in. The key aspect of working on these shows is accepting that as a resident, your main goal is to stay grounded and communicative and be responsible to your own professional development. Working with several different production teams within the Tarragon environment is a great opportunity to get a handle on some of the constants while seeing how much room there is for individual teams to create their own unique processes. Also, to future residents: go to the general auditions, you will work with these people at some point (or make a point of not working with some of them). I would never have missed it if I wasn't directing my workshop at the Artword.

My best general advice is to focus on learning and actively responding to the environment above any pre-formed ideas of success you might walk in with…stay open. Good luck and best wishes for all future 'Urjo Artists.'

For further information about the award, and application procedures, contact Andy McKim, Associate Artistic Director, by email: andy@tarragontheatre.com or by phone at 416.536.5018 x230.

 

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