The Yukon Playwrights Conference will feature information sessions presented by guest playwrights from outside of the territory and Yukon playwrights. They include, from top left Jacob Zimmer, Donna-Michelle St. Bernard, Kevin Loring, Monique Renaud, Wren Brian, Roy Ness, Patti Flather, Doug Rutherford, Brian Fidler, Reneltta Arluk, Leonard Linklater and Kevin Kennedy. PHOTO: courtesy of the Playwrights Guild of Canada

 

 

The inaugural Yukon Playwrights Conference takes place April 14 at the Old Fire Hall

On a dream and a successful grant, Monique Renaud will visit Whitehorse for the first time to co-host the first Yukon Playwright’s Conference this Saturday at the Old Fire Hall. Renaud is the Public Relations Manager at the Playwrights Guild of Canada and part of their work is to support the guild members across the country. Whitehorse’s Gwaandak Theatre is co-hosting the event with the guild.

The Playwrights Guild holds a national conference for project and theatre community development, but it is always near their homebase in Toronto. That annual event will still occur this year, but the concept for the event in Whitehorse came about after people at the Playwrights Guild encouraged Renaud to apply for a project grant.

“They said, ‘If you have a dream project, apply for it,’” Renaud said. “So I applied for it.

“I’ve never been to the Yukon and know it has a strong theatre community.”

According to Renaud, the intent of the 1-day conference is to bring that community together and inspire each other. The activities include a panel of speakers focusing on how to initiate change in their organizations and a marketing workshop that will help theatre groups come up with a marketing plan for their current projects.

A key event will be the “Spring Thaw” Play Readings on Saturday evening. This portion of the event is open to the public and is pay-what-you-can at the door. Featured Yukon playwrights will share readings of their own original scripts.

Renaud says that winter is often the time when playwrights hunker down and write new material. The spring thaw concept captures that spirit of re-emergence and renewal, the perfect complement and atmosphere to unveil new works.

Registration for the conference is free. For more information, visit PlaywrightsGuild.ca or and register visit YukonPlaywright.EventBrite.com.

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