I work for the Paprika Festival as the Artistic Producer. Essentially that means that the buck stops with me, but it is fed by conversations and consensus with a brilliant executive team. The Paprika Festival is Canada’s only independent theatre festival dedicated to promoting and producing the work of young and emerging artists, primarily those who are 21 and under. I think Paprika is an exciting and essential organization that can inspire a new generation of artists, and has been doing so for just over a decade.
This year, the Festival is in its 11th season, and my third as Artistic Producer. Over the past 11 years, there have been many successes, many incredible alumni, and the creation of a great deal of new work. Sharing new voices, encouraging new collaborations and connecting with the broader artistic community and essential components of our programming, and are also why I think Paprika is unique. And yet–none of that explains why my staff and I work astonishing long hours for astonishing little money. All of the executive work in the arts and are already strapped for time and personal resources, so why would we give more of ourselves to promote the work of young artists. The answer is simple: it’s good.
And not just in a charitable-good-for-the-community kind of way. The artists who work in the Paprika Festival continually create new work that is good by ANY standards. These are not “kids” who are creating “cute” plays. These are young artists who are creating excellent work, and developing artistic voices that will change, challenge and inspire the artistic community in this country. And this work is able to continue because of the vast support of the artistic community, and their willingness to engage with our participants and our process.
So now the sales pitch. Participants don’t pay anything to be a part of the program. But we spend tons of money on artist mentors, space rental, printing costs, etc. to keep the Festival running (and growing) each year. This coming Sunday we are having a fundraiser which celebrates not only the work of the Festival, but the relationships that working in the arts can catalyze. And the main feature is a reading of a play that was created in the very first Paprika Festival 11 years ago–and it is one that still resonates and captures our attention today. I hope you’ll join me.
Making Pretend: A Celebration of Best Friends, New Voices and the Paprika Festival
Hosted by this year’s Leading Supporter Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman
A reading of The End of Pretending by Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman and Emily Sugerman featuring real-life best friends and Paprika supporters:
Charlotte Corbeil-Coleman & Emily Sugarman
Martha Ross & Leah Cherniak
Morgan Norwich & Bethany Jillard
Marjorie Chan & Leanna Brodie
Ruth Madoc-Jones & Sarah Dodd
Julie Tepperman & Shira Leuchter
Kanika Ambrose & Virgilia Griffith
Rosamund Small & Britta Johnson
Paige Lansky & Chelsea Ranger
Tarragon Theatre Mainspace
Sunday, November 27
Reception begins at 7pm
Performance begins at 8pm
Tickets: $15 in advance or $20 at the door
416.531.1827
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