Mandate | Who We Are
Theatre Smash develops and produces contemporary theatrical work with a global twist. We are particularly interested in engaging our audiences with new writing from Canada and beyond through our exploration of text, movement, space, and multi-media.
We develop scripts with both Canadian and international playwrights, and produce new Canadian pieces as well as premieres of contemporary international work. We also explore new translations of non-English scripts, and will eventually devise works with artists of different backgrounds (such as novelists, poets, non-fiction writers and musicians).
Objectives
- To produce a new work or Canadian premiere annually
- To embrace a global perspective by examining both new theatrical works and new theatre practices from around the world
- To develop working relationships with other independent theatre companies across the globe
- To be well-run, financially responsible and accessible to all audience members curious about independent theatre
- To set up a series of development programs for young artists, particularly playwrights, designers and directors
History
Theatre Smash was founded in February 2005 by Artistic Producers Sarah Baumann and Ashlie Corcoran. Colleagues and collaborators since meeting at Queen’s University in 1999, our interest in new play development grew while working together at Tarragon Theatre. Our work has since taken us across the country and overseas in an effort to experience other cultures’ theatre, working methods and stories. We returned home with a desire to bring these influences to the Canadian stage: Theatre Smash was born. With the company we plan to push boundaries, creating a provocative theatre where visual images are equally as important as text.
Theatre Smash’s inaugural production, the North American premiere of Abi Morgan’s Tiny Dynamite, took place to critical acclaim in September 2006 at Tarragon Theatre’s Extra Space, and was followed closely by a workshop reading of Lukas Barfuss’ Der Bus, produced in association with the Goethe-Institut of Toronto. Our 2008/09 season includes two mainstage productions: the Canadian première of Igor Bauersima’s Norway.Today, taking place in September 2008 at Tarragon’s Extra Space and Layne Coleman’s Tijuana Cure, presented at Theatre Passe Muraille in February of 2009.
Theatre Smash is incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation, and received its Letters Patent on July 12th, 2005. We were officially approved as a charity by the Canada Revenue Agency on January 1st, 2006.