Will Mike Payette, Joelle Peters, and Sheree Spencer read past the first scene?
Find out what directors and dramaturgs look for in play submissions.
PGC is thrilled to announce that The Stratford Festival is hosting The First Scene Challenge for the second year. The first scenes of five submitted plays will be read by actors from the Stratford Festival. Come out to this encouraging and fun event to hear Mike, Joelle, and Sheree discuss what makes an enticing first scene. This event will include a Question & Answer! Don’t miss this opportunity to get some sweet tips that could give you an idea or two on how to elevate your play.
This is a free event to members, non-members and the general public.
Register now to attend The First Challenge!
October 2nd, 2023 @ 1pm EDT
Lobby of The Festival Theatre, Stratford Festival
55 Queen St, Stratford ON N5A 6V2
About the Panelists
Mike Payette is a director, educator and actor who has appeared at some of Canada’s finest theatres. He haas worked with some of the country’s finest theatres including The Citadel, Vertigo, Banff Centre, Geordie, Repercussion Theatre, Segal Centre, Centre, The Grand, Factory Theatre, Neptune, and the National Arts Centre, among others. Directing credits include Cockroach and Paint Me This House of Love (Tarragon), Blithe Spirit (Shaw Festival), Harlem Duet (Black Theatre Workshop), Another Home Invasion (Tableau D’Hôte Theatre), Hosanna (Centaur), Around the World in 80 Days, Virginia Wolf, The Paperbag Princess, and Reaching for Starlight (Geordie), Venus, Burning Vision and Indecent (National Theatre School), Sensitivity (Obsidian Theatre/CBC Gem, as part of 21 Black Futures), Choir Boy (Canadian Stage/Arts Club Theatre), the Quebec premiere of Héritage – A Raisin in the Sun (Théâtre Duceppe) along with the national tours of The Tashme Project (Tashme Prod/Centaur/Factory/Firehall) and Lorena Gale’s Angélique (BTW/Tableau D’Hôte/NAC/Factory/Obsidian). Mike is a two-time Montreal English Theatre Award (META) recipient and was the co-founding Artistic Director of Tableau D’Hôte Theatre and past Assistant Artistic Director for Black Theatre Workshop. He was also Artistic and Executive Director of Geordie Productions in Montreal before becoming Artistic Director for Tarragon Theatre in 2021.
Joelle Peters is an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) playwright and actor from Walpole Island First Nation in Southwestern Ontario. A graduate of Seneca College’s Acting for Camera and Voice Program, Joelle has appeared on Shoresy (Crave/Hulu), in the film In Her City, and has performed across the country in many theatres and festivals. She is also the Interim Artistic Director of Native Earth Performing Arts. In 2020, Joelle was named the Siminovitch Prize Protegee by Laureate Tara Beagan. Joelle’s plays include Frozen River (co-written with Carrie Costello and Michaela Washburn, winner of the Sharon Enkin Plays for Young People award), Niizh (premiered at Native Earth Performing Arts, nominated for 4 Dora Mavor Moore Awards), and do you remember? (commissioned by Burnt Thicket Theatre for the We Treaty People audio series, supported by Punctuate!/Pemmican Playwrights Unit).
Scenes Read by Actors of the Stratford Festival
