'Below the mainstream' festival draws new audiences to GCTC, Now in second season, non-traditional theatre fare in studio setting aimed at youth
Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Kristy Wallace
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EMC entertainment - Since Undercurrents: theatre below the mainstream started at the Great Canadian Theatre Company two years ago, festival programmer Patrick Gauthier said new audiences are coming to enjoy live theatre.
Kristy Wallace
Patrick Gauthier, the Undercurrents festival programmer for the Great Canadian Theatre Company, said the theatre's festival has attracted younger audiences in its second year.
"All theatres want young people to come to the theatre and trick is how do you reach that audience who don't often think of theatre?" said Gauthier.
"It's not that they're adverse to it, it's just not necessarily an option. They might go to movies or the bar, but theatre isn't on their radar."
The festival, which runs until Feb. 19 at the Great Canadian Theatre Company, is now in its second season and deals with all types of subject matter.
"It's not quite as mainstream, and it's intimate," said Gauthier, adding each performance plays to an audience capped at about 70 people.
As part of the festival, the theatre company showcases six shows produced by independent theatre companies from across the country.
He said the theatre company puts out a call for applications that goes out in the early spring, but theatre management also find plays when they travel to different cities across Canada.
Gauthier said the idea was conceived in 2009 when he and theatre director Lise Ann Johnson wanted to find a way to make better use of the theatre's studio space.
"Our studio was used quite a bit, but not as often as it could be," he said.
"She had this idea for a festival, and I thought it was a great idea."
In its first year, the festival was a success and the theatre company decided to bring it back for a second season.
Gauthier said it was hard to know whether or not the festival would be successful.
"We were hoping it would be annual, but we had no idea," he said.
This year, three of the six new works were homegrown in Ottawa. Other plays featured in the festival this year come from Toronto and Vancouver.
Gauthier said this year the festival has grown a bit, and the theatre received 75 applications compared to 25 last year.
The theatre company is also holding five performances for each production where last year it held four.
"It's bigger in that way, and it's become more work, but in a great way," Gauthier said.
There is still time to see productions as part of the festival.
Those interested in attending can visit www.gctc.ca for more information.
"There are interesting things you won't see anywhere else," said Gauthier.
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