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Manitoba Association of Playwrights

Manitoba Association of PlaywrightsWebsite: Manitoba Association of Playwrights

Founded: 1979

Location:
503-100 Arthur St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3B 1H3

Contact Information:
Rory Runnels
Telephone - (204) 942-8941
Fax - (204) 942-1555

Co-ordinator: Rory Runnells

Mandate: To provide support for playwrights in Manitoba through the
operation of programs for young, emerging, and professional playwrights to
develop their craft. Working with theatres to develop plays for future
production.

Membership: 100 playwrights and supporting members.

Serving: from high school through senior professional playwrights.

Other Staff: Librarian/Archivist, Carolyn Gray

Programs:

  • Playwrights' Development and Workshop Program, 24th year takes plays through various stages of development and workshopping
  • Open Door, 20th year, held regularly throughout the year, for emerging and more senior playwrights to read their work and discuss it with other writers or a dramaturge
  • Emerging Aboriginal Playwrights' Program, 3rd year, held in Brandon, MB.
    Mentorship Program, 20th year, places emerging playwrights with established Playwrights' or dramaturges for one on one sessions
  • Young Emerging Playwrights' Program, 3rd year, works with playwrights 18-28 on developing a play through the season, with a dramaturge, and presenting it in the spring workshop festival. Dramaturge: Brian Drader. In co-operation with Prairie Theatre Exchange
  • Playwrights' Colony, every second year, held since 1984
    Margaret and Sidney Jarvis Resource Centre - Archive/Library/Resource Centre, opened fall, 2002, for Canadian play library, Manitoba Playwrights' archives, and Manitoba small theatres archive
  • Harry S. Rintoul Memorial Award for Best Manitoba Play presented at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, presented since 2002
  • High School Playwriting Competition, 4th year, workshopping and presentation of plays by Manitoba high school students. Students work with professional dramaturges and directors on script over a three month period for presentation in competition in June
  • Playwrights on Tour, readings by prominent Canadian Playwrights
    Under Consideration: readings by Manitoba Playwrights in Winnipeg, and several other Manitoba centres, in conjunction with Theatre Projects Manitoba
  • Ellipsis - newsletter four times a year

Publications:

MAP of the Senses: Plays from MAP 1972-87, Scirocco Publishing, 1999
On the MAP: Scenes from PDP Plays, 1982-87, Blizzard/MAP, 1988.

A few plays that started out at MAP:

Prok by Brian Drader, nominated for 2003 Governor-General's Award for
English Language Drama, workshopped by MAP

Liar by Brian Drader, to be presented by Prairie Theatre Exchange, March,
2003, workshopped by MAP.

The Wave a new musical by Olaf Pyttlik, which opened Manitoba Theatre
Centre's 2001-02 season, was developed and workshopped by MAP

The Gap by lan Ross, Govemor General Award winner for farewell, and whose
new play opened at Stratford's new stage in August, 2002 was developed with
Prairie Theatre Exchange by MAP at the 2000 Playwrights' Colony, presented
in 2001 by PTE.

Brave Hearts by the late Harry Rintoul, nominated for Dora Mavor Moore
Award, workshopped by MAP

Work with the late Carol Shields, Maureen Hunter, Bruce McManus, etc. over
the years on new work.