ANNOUNCING… THE 2020 HAT DIRECTORS UNIT
This exciting new initiative is launching this season, and we are finally thrilled to announce the participants taking part in our inaugural Directors Unit for 2020!
From over 20 submissions, we’ve chosen 5 applicants for the unit, each of whom will be paired with one of our 5 Winter/Spring Mainstage productions as Assistant Director or Production Assistant. Each month, each director from the season will facilitate a directing workshop for all 5 Unit members. Further opportunities to direct workshops and readings from our Playwrights Unit may emerge later in 2020.
OUR 2020 DIRECTORS UNIT:
SHEALYN VARNES
Assistant Director for: THE DRAWER BOY
January 14-19, 2020
Shealyn Varnes is a 23-year-old performer and creator, who completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre Major, Acting Concentration) at Memorial University of Newfoundland in May 2018. She primarily acts and dances, but strives to sing and write more. Her selected theatre credits include Our Town (Theatre Kompakt), Grease (Savoy Theatre), Sense and Sensibility (Her Voice Theatre) and The Sea (Grenfell Theatre). She recently landed a small role on Ignite TV’s Alaska Triangle, and did background work on Spike TV’s The Mist and CBC’s Mr. D.
In 2019, she was the very first recipient of the Neptune Theatre’s Julie Martell Scholarship. She also received the Playmakers’ Scholarship: Most Outstanding Second Year Student and the Imperial Tobacco Canada Fine Arts Scholarship during her degree.
KEVIN MUNROE
Production Assistant for: MORRO & JASP: SAVE THE DATE
February 18-23, 2020
Born in Toronto and raised in Sydney, Kevin has been involved in theatre through groups like Class Acts Drama School from the age of 6 onwards, and has more recently become a regular on the HAT stage as well as at the Boardmore Playhouse. Most memorable for his role as Chip in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee last summer, Munroe was also involved with Heart of Steel, Kitchen Party, ‘Swonderful and various other plays, musicals and concerts across Cape Breton.
GEE STEWART
Assistant Director for: AS YOU LIKE IT
March 10-15, 2020
Gee Stewart is an 18-year-old artist and entrepreneur from Sydney. She is currently attending CBU and plans to pursue film studies in the future. Gee is also the owner of Guillozine, a monthly magazine for young artists. This is her first time being involved with a project at the HAT and is super thrilled to be assistant directing!
LOGAN ROBINS
Assistant Director for:
A PUBLIC READING OF AN UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAY ABOUT THE DEATH OF WALT DISNEY
April 14-19, 2020
Logan is an (aspiring to being award winning) theatre creator based in Kjipuktuk/Halifax. He graduated from the Fountain School of Performing Arts with an honours BA in theatre (with a minor in English and a
failed attempt at a BSc in Marine Biology) and studied puppetry at The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. He spends much of his time imagining fascinating stories to direct, write, or puppeteer and knowing a lot more about theatre than whale behaviour. He is the founder and artistic director of The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Company, with whom he recently wrote/directed The Encounters of an Adventurous Snail, an original shadow-puppetry musical based upon the works of Federico García Lorca, at the Halifax Fringe Festival. He was also recently an assistant producer and collaborator on Settle Elsewhere, a devised character-mask show by Theatre du Poulet.
You may have seen him acting (or in Cape Breton) recently in The Shoplifters and/or He’d Be Your Mother’s Father’s Cousin at Theatre Baddeck. Collaborate with him, he’s a lot of fun.
Follow him on Instagram: @loganrobins//@unnaturaldisastertheatre
BRIDGET BALDWIN
Assistant Director for: THE CLOCKMAKER
May 12-17, 2020
Bridget Baldwin is a playwright, actor, and director from Glace Bay. She is a founding member of Theatre Kompakt and a member of Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre. She has been involved in a number of productions at the Boardmore Theatre in a variety of roles. Last year, she won the Boardmore Award for her one-act play, Uprooted. Currently, Bridget attends Cape Breton University.
We wish all our 2020 Directors Units participants the best of luck with their prospective projects.
Stay tuned next fall for submissions for the 2021 Directors Unit!