Pictured above and below: Creator-performers Bianca Mirandain and Keshia Cheesman in The F Word. Photos by: Katy Whitt.
This shift [to five days a week, eight hours a day] has been incredible in terms of allowing artists to be more rested and ready for opening night and the subsequent run of the show.
Downstage Performance Society
Downstage Performance Society
Exploring a five-day rehearsal week and size-accessible seating for audiences
Level UP! Strategy Area: Flexible Working Models
Pilot Project: Piloting a five-day rehearsal week for The F Word, along with size-accessible seating for audiences.
Project Duration: September 2022 – February 2023
Continuing to Implement: Yes. Applying the five-day work week to technical rehearsals during the 2023/2024 season.
Resources Shared: Project Field Notes, Size-Accessible Seating Information
About Downstage Performance Society
Location: Alberta
Artistic Discipline: Theatre
Operating Budget: $100,000 to $1,000,000
Downstage is a Calgary-based company dedicated to producing Canadian theatre that creates meaningful conversation around social issues. Downstage’s work provokes vibrant dialogue both informally and through our post-show discussions. With a focus on new work created by local artists, Downstage offers artistic experiences that are entertaining, inventive, thought-provoking and highly relevant to everyday life.
Downstage Performance Society’s Level UP! Project
Downstage Theatre, under the Artistic Direction of Clare Preuss, explored finding ways to honour a five-day work week (eight hours a day) during technical rehearsals/opening weeks of The F Word by Keshia Cheesman and Bianca Miranda. Downstage has recently been actively and consistently casting actors/performers of size in their productions. The F Word was the first performance to offer size-accessible seating.
Project Highlights:
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- Adapting the five-day model, scheduling three-on, one-off, two-on, one-off to have one weekend and one weekday off.
- Continuing to extend their support for staff, artists, and audiences of size.
Resources
Downstage Performance Society | Project Field Notes
About This Resource Downstage Performance Society shared these Project Field Notes in 2023 as part of their Level UP! Pilot Project. Their project focused piloting a five-day rehearsal week for The F Word, along with size-accessible seating for audiences.
Downstage Performance Society | Size-Accessible Seating Info Page
About This Resource Downstage Performance Society developed this Size-Accessible Seating Information Page in 2023 in addition to their Balancing Act Level UP! Pilot Project.
More Information
For more information about the Downstage Performance Society visit downstage.ca.
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