Download Word Document - Donna Marie Baratta

Donna Marie Baratta
CAEA , CDTA Full Membership, Canadian/Italian Passports
829 - 550 Queens Quay W.
Toronto, ON, M5V 3M8
[email protected]
Cell # (647) 983-2482
DIRECTION
THE PERSIANS
*GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! by Greg MacArthur
SITI Company Intensive Black Box (Skidmore College)
Present Danger Productions SummerWorks 2013
FOOL FOR LOVE by Sam Shepard
Heart in Hand Theatre
The Playwright Project
THE MURMURATION OF STARLINGS by Evan Tsitsias
University of Alberta
The Second Playing Space
HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE by Paula Vogel
University of Alberta
Media Room
DEATH AND THE MAIDEN by Ariel Dorfman
University of Alberta
Media Room
EMBEDDED by Louis Patrick Leroux
University of Alberta
Studio
LOW LEVEL PANIC by Clare McIntyre
University of Alberta
Studio
DIRECTION/CHOREOGRAPHY
**LIVING WITH HENRY by Christopher Wilson
NYMF 2012(July 23-29th) The Pearl Theatre/NYC
Next Stage Festival
Factory Theatre
Best of Fringe 2011
Toronto Centre for the Arts
Toronto Fringe 2011
George Ignatieff
MEDEA by Larry Fineberg
University of Alberta
The Studio Theatre (thesis)
HONK by Anthony Drewe, George Stiles
Da Capo Productions
YOU’RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN by Clark Gesner
Da Capo Productions
Palmerston Library Theatre
Waterloo Stage
Palmerston Library Theatre
Barrie Downtown Theatre
SHAKESPEARE COMPILATION
Shakespearience Young Centre for Performing Arts
VAGINA MONOLOGUES by Eve Ensler
TBVPAC
Thunder Bay Community Auditorium
ASSISTANT DIRECTION
FIRST DANCE by Trevor Copp, Jeff Fox, Lisa O’Connell
Tottering BiPed Theatre
Impact Festival 2013
CYMBELINE Adapted by Kathleen Weiss
University of Alberta
The Studio Theatre
PERFECT LIFE (and
Perfect Life Co-op
Choreography) by Jet Matas
SPIRIT OF A NATION by Janis Dunning/Jacques Lemay
Poor Alex Theatre/
Toronto Dance Theatre
Canadian Heritage for the Arts
Victoria, B.C.
Confederation Centre of the Arts Charlottetown,
P.E.I.
BRIDGEFEST’97 (Dir. Jacques Lemay)
Opening Ceremonies
Borden, P.E.I.
COLLECTIVE
ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM
A WAKE FOR LOST TIME
Theatre Passe Muraille
[elephants] collective
Hub 14
Mar 2013-Present
Hub 14: November 15-16 2014
A WAKE FOR LOST TIME
[elephants] collective
The Pearl Theatre
January 23-24th 2015
PRODUCER
GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! by Greg MacArthur
Present Danger Productions
SummerWorks 2013
***STRANGE MARY STRANGE by Evan Tsitsias
2011
On the Verge Productions
SummerWorks
Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace
AFTERSHOCK by Evan Tsitsias
2010
On the Verge Productions
SummerWorks
Factory Theatre - Studio
CHOREOGRAPHER
CANDIDE (Assistant Choreographer)
by Leonard Bernstein, Lillian Hellman, Hugh Wheller
FOOTLOOSE (Co-Choreographer)
by Tom Snow, Dean Pitchford & Walter Bobbie Theatre
GONE FOR A DANCE (Assistant Choreographer)
Luxembourg
A film by Alain Berliner
University of Toronto
MFA Opera Program
In House Theatre
BMT – Brampton Music
The Rose Theatre
Samsa Films/Artemis Productions Paris, Brussels,
* Two actors (Ben Wheelwright, Zoe Cleland) won “emerging artist awards” for their performances, Co-Director
**Lead Actor (Ryan Kelly) won an “Outstanding Individual Performance” award for his performance
*** Best of SummerWorks - Critics Pick - Outstanding Direction, Production and Ensemble - NOW Magazine
PERFORMER
THEATRE (selected credits)
SUNSET BOULEVARD
CRAZY FOR YOU
CRAZY FOR YOU
REFLECTIONS ON A
CROOKED WALKING
NED DURANGO COMES
TO BIG OAK
SPIRIT OF A NATION
PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ
PIRATES
THE PRINCESS AND THE HANDMAIDEN
3RD Harem Girl/Jean/
Lamarr
Mitzi/Ensemble
Louise/Ensemble
Arriba/Ensemble/
Dance Captain
Kay
Trevor Nunn
Lead Dancer/Singer/
Assistant Director
Lead Dancer/Singer
Caroline
Courtier
Jacques Lemay/
Janis Dunning
Jacques Lemay
Janis Dunning
Janis Dunning
Tara Young
Mike Ockrent
Mario Crudo
Livent Productions/ Beautician/Hedy
Toronto & Vancouver
Snapshot Productions
Mirvish Productions
Magnus Theatre
Randolph Swyer Magnus Theatre
Tour/ Charlottetown
Festival/Victoria
Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
Charlottetown Festival
EDUCATION
MFA - Directing University of Alberta 2010-2012
Honours Bachelor of Arts – (English/Biology)
Bachelor of Education – first class standing
Lakehead University 2006
Lakehead University 2000
Drama Specialist (Parts I, II, III) OISE Stratford and Toronto, summer 2000-2002
WORK RELATED EXPERIENCE
· Fully Qualified Teacher (High school and University/College): 14 years - Presently: Drama educator at
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Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts, Toronto, ON.
Artistic Producer/Co-Founder - Present Danger Productions
Director’s Lab North - inaugural lab member (www.directorslabnorth.com), Steering Committee -ongoing
SITI Company Summer Intensive - May - June 2014
Volcano Conservatory 2014: Peggy Baker, Stephen O’Connell (bluemouth inc.), Jillian Keiley
Past Associate Director for Da Capo Productions
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Past President - CODE (Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators)
Dramaturgy Workshop at Nightwood Theatre - Nina Lee Aquino (December 2011)
Director’s Summit November 2009 – Nightwood Theatre
Directing Intensive with Richard Rose 2005 – Equity Showcase
Directed/Choreographed/Produced high school productions and Created Original pieces (over 80
productions)
Shakespearience Performing Arts Summer Program - Instructor
Flint Michigan Tap Workshop/Vancouver Tap Society Workshop
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Centrodanza, Treviso Italy - Fiorenza Carta
The National Ballet School – Summer Program
Dance Instructor for 23 years
MEMBERSHIPS
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Director’s Lab North - inaugural lab member June 2011 (www.directorslabnorth.com), Steering
committee - ongoing (workshops with an incredible line up of directors and playwrights from across
Canada)
Canadian Dance Teachers’ Association (C.D.T.A.) - Full member of Stage Division (Tap, Jazz)
CAEA - member in good standing since 1994
AWARDS/GRANTS/SCHOLARSHIPS
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TCR Grant - Volcano Theatre for a piece entitled Yes, Spring! - in process 2014
MDes Scholarship - University of Alberta 2010-2012
Alberta Foundation: Individual Artist Project Grant (Training/Career Development) 2012
Alberta Foundation: Travel Grant to direct Living with Henry for the NextStage Festival 2012
Alberta Creative Development Initiative (ACDI): Grants to Individuals-Theatre Project (Living
with Henry)2012
Scholarship: Minister of Education (Alberta) 2012
Now Magazine best of the fest- SummerWorks - Strange Mary Strange (outstanding production,
outstanding ensemble, outstanding direction) Summer 2011
Best of Fringe 2011 - Living With Henry
Istituto Italiano di Cultura Award - University of Toronto 2010
Now Magazine Best of SummerWorks 2010 - Aftershock by Evan Tsitsias
Alumni Association of Lakehead University Scholarship recipient
Lakehead University In-Course Scholarship – 1999
Lakehead University Entrance Award of Academic Excellence
City of Thunder Bay Entrance Scholarship
Northwestern Ontario Law Associations Silver Jubilee Scholarship
Ontario Scholar
Ontario Teacher Federation Awards
Dance Scholarship – Tremaine Dance Center in North Hollywood, California
Dance Scholarship - Gus Giordano Dance Studio in Evanston, Illinois
Dance Scholarship - Canador College Artsperience Summer Program
REVIEWS (small cross-section)
Living with Henry
• Director-choreographer Donna Marie Baratta stages with invention and fluidity on Jennifer Goodman and
Laura Gardner's smart set of recombining sections of benches and chain-link fence. Baratta elicits sharp
work from the committed six-person cast, all making their New York debuts.
Backstage: Review by Erik Haagnsen
• sexy and whimsical dances, choreographed by Donna Marie Baratta, who also directs. Standout numbers
include "Bathhouse Tango," performed by the men in the cast, and "The Price of Nice," which depicts
Michael's exposure to HIV in a manner both titillating and disturbing.
Theatre Mania: review by Dan Bacalzo
• Director/choreographer Donna Marie Baratta highlights the emotional and dramatic heart.
Classical 96.3: Review by Paula Citron
• This fully staged chamber musical, imaginatively directed and choreographed by Donna Marie Baratta,
seems primed for a professional run.
Now Magazine: Review by Christopher Hoile
Medea
• the directorial choice to have Medea mirrored into five additional variations is artfully executed.
Rather than taking away from Medea's independence, they add to our understanding of the range
of emotions she feels throughout the story. The choreography behind the movement pieces is
noteworthy, and it became a clear asset to the visual aspects of this play.
Vue Weekly: Review by Saliha Chattoo
Fool for Love
• Donna Marie Baratta’s direction is well done in terms of blocking, pace and intention. She uses
the small performance space effectively and creatively and the flow is excellent.
Mooney on Theatre: Review by Jennifer McKinley
girls! girls! girls!
• The great Satanic joy of Greg MacArthur’s girls! girls! girls! is how innocuous it all seems; what
starts off as a comical look at precocious small town children quickly spirals into something
much darker. It’s a bit of a sinister magic trick, one which the new production by Present Danger
Productions, premiering at SummerWorks, clearly understands. A smart and elegant production,
the cast – shepherded by directors Jessica Carmichael and Donna Marie Baratta – merrily lead
the audience down the shadowy road.
The Charlebois Post: Joel Fishbane
• I expected many times for the play to hold back, but it continued to push my buttons with evil
relish. At first the show reminded me of a theatrical version of Skins,but then more boundaries
were gleefully crossed. Violence, nudity, and all other forms of debauchery are celebrated by the
youth. Their ages and ribbon related-drive highlight the senselessness of their lifestyles. As much
as this play shocked and upset me, I loved it. It kept my attention and made my heart race in
anticipation for the finale. I understand that girls! girls! girls! is not for everyone. If you don’t
like nudity, violence, swearing, or young people then this is not the best choice for you. But if
you have a dark side, you’ll have a grand old time.
Mooney on Theatre: Dana Ewachow
• The text itself, by Greg MacArthur, tries to distance the horror by using a hyper-theatrical
language that mimics Shakespeare and puts poetic words and ideas into the mouths of normally
less articulate 14-year-olds. It works as poetry - some of the images are sublime and terrifying at
the same time - but is overwhelmed by the visuals. Graphic violence on stage is problematic for
me personally because of a tendency to try to figure out how the special effects are done.
However in this case, as an emotional safety device, it didn't work - I was horrified, which seems
to be the point. All of the cast is extremely committed, believable and easy to identify with there is no letting the audience off the hook, we are part of the action, drawn in by the
performances...Girls! Girls! Girls! is not a comfortable play, and many moments are hard to sit
through, but it definitely haunts long after the curtain call.
Drew Rowsome