Acting majors participated in a three-day devised theatre workshop from Friday, April 16, through Sunday, April 18. Devised theatre workshops are exciting explorations into a new style of storytelling. The workshop was an intensive, rigorous exploration of how the performer in an empty space can use the body to create characters, spaces, emotions, poetry and atmospheres, and ultimately tell stories without words.
This devised theatre workshop was led by Canadian guest artists Amy Nostbakken and Norah Sadava, founders and co-artistic directors of Quote Unquote Collective.
The workshop was offered as both an online and in-person experience in Glaize Studio Theatre; Ruebush Hall, Room 151; and the Harold Herman Lab Theatre. It focused on building specific techniques and exercises for creating devised theatre work, with the sessions carefully scaffolded to build upon one another.
ABOUT AMY NOSTBAKKEN
Amy Nostbakken is an award-winning director, writer, performer and composer. She is co-artistic director of the theatre company Quote Unquote Collective in Toronto, Canada, and core member of Theatre Ad Infinitum in the United Kingdom. She has created and composed numerous productions including “The Big Smoke” (2011), “Ballad of the Burning Star” (2013), “Bucket List” (2016) and “Mouthpiece” (2015) — which she directed, co-wrote, composed and performed. “Mouthpiece,” published by Coach House Press and Oberon UK, has been translated into Spanish, French, Turkish and Romanian. It was also adapted into a feature film directed by Patricia Rozema which opened the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. “Now You See Her” (2018), which Nostbakken co-wrote, directed and composed was published by Coach House Press. She is currently creating “Universal Child Care,” set to premiere in 2023. Nostbakken is a graduate of Concordia University and École Internationale de Théatre Jacques Lecoq.
ABOUT NORAH SADAVA
Norah Sadava is an award-winning Toronto-based writer, performer and creator with a background in devised physical theatre. A graduate of the Master of Fine Arts program at the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre and co-artistic director of Quote Unquote Collective, Sadava has been involved in the writing and creation of new work with numerous companies both in Canada and internationally. Sadava co-wrote, created and performed “Mouthpiece,” which toured internationally, and was published by Coach House Books and Oberon, UK. It has been translated into French, Spanish, Turkish and Romanian, and was most recently adapted into a feature film in collaboration with acclaimed Canadian director Patricia Rozema which premiered at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. “Now You See Her,” which Sadava co-wrote, directed and performed premiered in Toronto in 2018 and was published by Coach House Press. She is currently working on Quote Unquote Collective’s next production, “Universal Child Care,” set to premiere in 2023.
