Fifth Annual Playwrights Retreat Begins in Stratford

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival's fifth annual Playwrights Retreat begins today and runs through October 20. This year eight writers from across the country will be in Stratford for the three-week retreat: Meg Braem (Calgary), Matthew Heiti (Sudbury), Daniel Karasik (Toronto), Kevin Loring (Vancouver), Bryden MacDonald (Halifax), Haley McGee (Toronto), Janet Munsil (Victoria) and Elyne Quan (Toronto).

Established in 2008, the Playwrights Retreat offers playwrights a more secluded setting in which to write and gives them an opportunity to meet and commune with fellow playwrights. They attend Festival productions and are given the opportunity to meet with Members of The Festival's artistic and administrative teams.
"This season we saw two works that came out of our playwright residencies appear on our stages, both to great acclaim – Daniel MacIvor's The Best Brothers and the Alon Nashman/Paul Thompson collaboration Hirsch," says Artistic Director Des McAnuff. "Fully 50 per cent of the 2012 season was Canadian, further proof that the Festival is as dedicated to new plays as to the classics."

"This retreat allows playwrights to come to Stratford and immerse themselves in an environment that feeds the creative spirit," says General Director and Artistic Director designate Antoni Cimolino. "Our artists need to have a place where they feel they can pursue their most courageous work and Stratford is that place."

Since 2008, 66 playwrights have participated in the Playwrights Retreat and other residencies at the Festival, including John Murrell, who completed a residency in August, where he continued his development of Taking Shakespeare which will be produced next season.

The Retreat is led by Bob White, Consulting Director of New Plays, and was established by Dramaturge Robert Blacker.

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