Spring and Everything's New Theatre Creator’s Reserve Program
The Theatre Creator’s Reserve Program at the Ontario Arts Council allows Theatre Direct the opportunity to recommend funding to playwrights developing new work for young audiences. The last deadline (2008) saw the most submissions to the company to date, and we were thrilled to be able to support eight playwrights in their creative adventures! They included: Mark McGrinder, Edwige Jean-Pierre, Jennifer Gillespie, Kate Cayley, Kathleen McDonnell, Thomas Jones, Eleanor Albanese, and Sharada K. Eswar. Plays in Development
We are pleased to announce that Theatre Direct has commissioned the English translation by Leanna Brodie of D’Alaska by Sebastien Harrison, a rising star on the Quebec drama scene. Many thanks to the Canada Council. Associate Artist Lisa Codrington, currently in the Shaw Festival company will return next season as a playwright under commission for her wonderful play about a girl in search of her father entitled Refined. Sharada Eswar Storms the Capital
Our wonderful Associate Artist is nearing the completion of her time at the National Arts Centre’s English Theatre Playwright in Residence for the 2007/8 season. While in residency, she continued work on her compelling drama for youth and general audiences Abhimanyu, a re-telling of an episode from the epic Mahabharata under co-commission with Theatre Direct. The themes of Sharada’s play were also the inspiration for a unique March break program for Ottawa and Gatineau youth, designed by Theatre Direct and led by Nisha Ahuja (The Demonstration) and Abhimanyu composer Suba Sankaran and choreographer Nova Bhattacharya (Beneath the Banyan Tree). Stay tuned for the next episode of development on this important drama about war, family and betrayal. | 
