OneLight Theatre is a professional theatre company, based in Halifax,

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

whose primary function is to develop and produce new plays. In addition to its artistic work, OneLight Theatre also hosts conferences related to theatre arts, participates actively in professional organizations, and mentors emerging professional artists through the Firestarter program. OneLight Theatre's primary work is to develop and stage original theatrical productions, derived from a variety of international classic and modern source materials, through a disciplined collaborative process. In doing so, the company engages with a variety of artistic and academic professionals thereby developing an ever-widening dialogue about theatre in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. Through their work it strives to explore and broaden the understanding of theatre and its role in the cultural framework of Nova Scotia and Canada, and to facilitate national discussions about developments in the theatrical profession.

Structure of the organization

Structure of the Company

The structure of the organization is intended to permit the effective management of the company and its artistic projects. The OneLight staff has been working together since 1999 and consists of Artistic Director Shahin Sayadi; Managing Director Maggie Stewart; and Technical Director and Administrator Jake Dambergs. The company engages, on a contract basis, artists, musicians, designers and publicists, as required, for projects, and also has an accountant for ongoing support with budgeting and accounting. OneLight Theatre Society has a Board of Directors, which has five member, and standing committees for recruiting and fundraising which are chaired by Board members.

Brief History

1999

* The core members of the company begin working together

2002

* OneLight Theatre Society is incorporated

2004

* PACT (affiliate member) * Forum 2004: Theatre in Nova Scotia: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

2005

* Heritage Canada: CAHSP grant for Strategic Planning and Board Governance * Forum 2005: The Canadian Theatre Identity Crisis * Membership in Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC)

2006

* Canada Council Extended Project Grant (The Veil) * PACT- full member, OneLight signs into the Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) * Canada Council Capacity Building Grant / Stand Firm program * Shahin Sayadi attends the Playwrights Workshop Montreal retreat at Tadoussac * Firestarter program launched * Operating support from the province

2007

* Canada Council Capacity Building Grant / Stand Firm program * Shahin Sayadi attends Banff Playwrights Colony * Firestarter mentoring participant,

Shauntay Grant Shauntay Grant is a Canadian author, poet, playwright, and professor. Between 2009 and 2011, she served as the third poet laureate of Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is known for writing ''Africville'', a children's picture book about a black community ...

, selected and will begin work in Fall 2007

Productions

From 2002 to 2005, OneLight Theatre had its own performance space, The Crib, on Gottingen Street, and developed and presented five plays there. In 2006 the theatre moved to a downtown office space at 1590 Argyle Street. In 2005 it produced ''

Death of Yazdgerd ''Death of Yazdgerd'' (or alternatively translated as ''Death of the King''; and whose original subtitle translates "Regicide") ( fa, مرگ یزدگرد) is a Persian play about the death of Yazdegerd III by Bahram Beyzai, often considered his ...

'' at the Neptune Studio Stage, and later toured this play to the

Firehall Arts Centre The Firehall Arts Centre (also called the Firehall Centre for the Arts) is an arts centre in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The building also falls within the borders of Gastown. Firehall is a small building, original ...

in Vancouver. In 2006, Onelight was one of five organizations in Canada to be granted a

Canada Council for the Arts The Canada Council for the Arts (french: Conseil des arts du Canada), commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown corporation established in 1957 as an arts council of the Government of Canada. It acts as the federal government's principal in ...

extended project grant to develop a new play. In the subsequent 18 months, Onelight along with Neptune Theatre and the

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia was co-founded in 1972 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, by the late Evelyn Garbary, Tom Miller, and Sara Lee Lewis who continues to serve as Managing Director. The Theatre moved to Windsor, Nova Scotia in 1987, purchasing a ...

developed this new play, The Veil. The Veil was scheduled to debut at Neptune’s Studio and then tour to the

Harbourfront Studio Theatre Harbourfront may refer to: * Harbourfront (Toronto), a neighbourhood in Toronto ** 509 Harbourfront, Toronto streetcar route **Harbourfront Centre, cultural organization on the waterfront of Toronto * HarbourFront (Singapore), waterfront site in Si ...

in Toronto.

1999

* The Bacchae (The Crib)

2002

* Medea (The Crib)

2003

* Woyczeck (The Crib) * Lady MacPunch (The Crib)

2004

* Josette (The Crib) * My Own True Love: WAR (The Crib)

2005

* Death of Yazdgerd (Neptune Studio; Firehall Arts Centre, Vancouver)

2007

* The Veil: The Story of Khanoom (Neptune Studio; Harbourfront Centre, Toronto)

External links

* http://www.onelighttheatre.com {{authority control Theatres in Nova Scotia Theatre companies in Nova Scotia Culture of Halifax, Nova Scotia