What are the Popcorn Plays?
The Popcorn Plays Programme is an entrance to community theatre, combining a series of workshops with the opportunity to participate in a production in several roles at once.
So are these plays, or workshops?
Both! The workshops serve as an introduction to different aspects of the theatre, while the plays give the participants a chance to put that theory into practice.
What kinds of workshops?
There will be five Core workshops, each covering a different aspect of theatrical production: directing, acting, stage management, lighting, and sound. We’ll also have some Popcorn Plus workshops that go into more depth and/or cover additional areas of theatre. The Core workshops are fundamental to the programme, while the Plus workshops are optional.
What does the timeline look like?
The kickoff for the programme will be in the first half of May, exact date TBA. The core workshops will be happening from late May to mid-July. Participants will choose their plays during the month of May, and rehearsals start in June; the showcase performances will be around the last two weekends in August.
I’m interested in one of the workshops, but not the whole shebang. Can I attend?
Probably! Different workshops will have different capacities, but most of the Core workshops (and all of the Plus) will be open to attendees outside of the programme. We’ll be announcing details about registration on a rolling basis.
How can I join the project?
Applications are now being accepted, with a deadline of April 20.
I’ve done some theatre before, can I still apply?
Yes! While priority will be given to participants with less experience, please don’t select yourself out just because you’ve been around for a while. Just keep in mind that much of the material will be at an introductory level; if you’ve got significant experience in multiple areas of theatre, you might find it to be slow going.
I’m busy during the summer, can I still be part of this?
It depends — you should plan on being in town for the Core workshops and the last half of August, as well as enough time in between to allow for a reasonable rehearsal schedule. If you’re away at the cottage every weekend, or you’re spending all of July in the south Pacific, then this might not be a good fit for you.
I’m scared of being on stage.
That’s not really a question.
I’m scared of being on stage. Help?
The expectation is that every participant will act in at least one of the plays. That said, we’re happy to work with the participants to make sure that everyone is as comfortable as possible with what’s being asked of them. If you’re absolutely unwilling to perform on stage, then it’s possible this programme isn’t for you.
Who’s running this event? Do you need help with the organization of it?
There’s an organizing team chaired by Stefan Verveniotis, KWLT’s president and a two-time alumni of previous Popcorn Plays. If you’re an experienced member of our community and you’d like to lend us your expertise, we’re currently looking for volunteers to join our mentorship pool: people that the participants can come to for answers or advice. Contact Stef to join that roster!
Where are we getting the plays?
There are several options here. Members of the New Works Collective will be submitting short works for your consideration. The theatre also has anthologies of short plays that you’re welcome to look through. Once you’ve found a play, the organizing team will work on securing the rights for performance.
Hey, I have a play that might interest you. Who can I send it to?
Send it to Stef, the programme coordinator, at popcorn@kwlt.org.
Will there be more workshops in the fall?
Yes! The Popcorn Plus series will be continuing through to the end of 2025. If you’ve got an idea for a workshop topic that you’d like to see, let Stef know and we’ll see what we can do!
The Popcorn Plays Programme is supported by the Arts Grant Fund and the Motz Family Endowment, both held at Waterloo Region Community Foundation. KWLT is grateful for their support!
