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2003-2004 - Lee Wilson
August 12th, 2004
To my friends at Tarragon and the Youssef-Warren Foundation,
What do you start to say when you have just completed one of the most important, exciting, and best years of your career? I guess you start by saying that this grant, and this opportunity for a young emerging artist, is probably one of the most important in Canada. This grant allows a young artist the luxury and flexibility to listen, practice and perfect, make mistakes, make suggestions, be treated like a professional, learn from the best, and most importantly, do so, while financially not having to worry about committing every bit of yourself to this jewel of an experience.
Add to this experience a welcoming, supportive, helpful, and excited to have you Tarragon staff, and you have a young emerging artist who will never forget. Never forget the gift he has been given. Never forget why it is important. Never forget the people who made it possible. But most importantly, never to forget the responsibility we have to pass the torch on to the next generation of theatre artists.
I applied for this grant because there was no other opportunity in the country to apprentice as an artistic director/director for this amount of time. An experience I could bring back to my own company, and use those skills acquired, to try and enrich another artistic community. A young artistic community that was never able to give me as a young actor/director the opportunity to experience the joy of the professional theatre. A community that now can boast having access to a vibrant, professional theatre.
This past season at the Tarragon gave me the opportunity to assist on two Canadian premiere main stage shows, a workshop of an important new Canadian adaptation, a play reading week of new Canadian plays, being able to watch some of the finest actors in the country, apprenticing one of the top Canadian directors/developer of new works, witness the incredible theatre model of the Tarragon and staff, and the ability to ask questions about the running of a theatre to those who have done it for years. Wow.
To name a few things I have learned or brought away with me:
· A better understanding of developing a new play
· A great understanding of the director's process
· The commitment it really takes to have a career in the theatre
· A better understanding of what makes a theatre successful and sustainable
· The process of putting on a play from the early draft to opening night, and the growth that happens up until closing night
· The relationships between actor/director, actor/designer, designer/director, actor/playwright, director/playwright, stage management/actor, stage management/director, management/actor, management/director etc.
· The importance of previews and the actor/audience relationship to the development of the new play
· A better understanding of the actors needs from a director and an artistic director
· That a great director should have an understanding of art history, music history, costume history etc.
· A greater understanding of genre, style, punctuation, structure, emphatic elements, rhythm, action, time, space etc. etc. when directing a play
· Blocking a play and the use of props, transitions, costumes, music etc.
· How to structure rehearsal as to maximize time and efficiency
And so on, and so on, and so on…
To conclude, I must say that I have recently been awarded the only position for a director in the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Training at the Stratford Festival. In my interview I was confident, knowledgeable, had a great understanding of my place in Canadian theatre, and a great understanding of the directors role and process. This position was awarded to me on large part due to my experience at Tarragon and my time with Richard Rose.
I have nothing critically to say about my experience as, I believe, I received exactly what I wanted out of the experience. It is, frankly, an unbelievable experience for any emerging artist serious about a career in the theatre. It is a true testament to Mr. Rose, Mr. McKim, the Warren-Youssef Foundation, and the rest of the Tarragon staff. They treated me like a professional, like a part of the family, acted as my mentors, and now, they are my friends too.
Thank you for believing in my growth as an emerging artist. Thank you for investing in my education. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dream to pursue, and work, in the profession I so love with all my heart.
Sincerely Yours,
Lee Wilson
Director/Founding Artistic Director of Resurgence Theatre Company
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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