What Is This?

This site attempts to outline the 54ology project by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard and collaborators.  Check out the Summary for a sense of the overall projects, or select a specific play from the titles in the sidebar.

54ology Goings On

2022

  • April 1-8: Diggers workshop as part of “Black is the New Black” development lab with Black Theatre Workshop & NAC English Theatre
  • February 26: Sound of the Beast excerpt presented digitally at Festival Internacional de Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2021

  • May 4-21: The First Stone digital workshop with New Harlem Productions + Community Justice Forum
  • May 8: The Smell of Horses digital workshop reading with lemonTree creations

2020

  • June 6: Click, Click working session with New Harlem Productions
  • March 30: Just Now digital workshop reading with New Harlem Productions

2019

2018

  • October 12-14: Threepiece at SpringWorks Festival in Stratford, ON with New Harlem Productions and Pandemic Theatre
  • September 20-October 14: Sound of the Beast tour with Theatre Passe Muraille to Femfest (Winnipeg), and Black Theatre Workshop (Montreal)

2017

2016

  • November 19: Workshop presentation of Sound of the Beast at Theatre Passe Muraille’s BUZZ
  • October 8: Working session on The Smell of Horses with lemonTree creations
  • May 19-21: SpringWorks Festival featuring workshop presentation of Dark Love
  • April 4-14: Development of Just Now at Gros Morne Playwrights Retreat with Playwrights Workshop Montreal, Centre Des Auteurs Dramatiques and Bonne Bay Marine Station, Newfoundland.
  • February 17-20: Workshop presentation of Dark Love as part of the 37th Rhubarb Festival at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre

2015

  • November 29: reading marathon, featuring latest drafts of: Rabbit King of Kenya, Conjugal, Sacrifice, The Chariot and Click, Click
  • August 3: closed reading of Give It Up and BSide at lemonTree creations
  • May 7-17: SpringWorks Festival featuring performance of Sound of the Beast on May 9 & 10, 2015.
  • April 22: Closed reading of Conjugal as part of Alberta Theatre Projects development series
  • March 28 – April 12: Text and structure for Sound of the Beast developed at the Banff Centre’s 2015 Spoken Word Program

2014

  • January 7-12: January Jam at Canada’s National Arts Centre.   Sarah Garton Stanley and the English Theatre Ensemble read and discuss fifteen new drafts!  All this with support and input from Jillian Keiley, Clare Preuss, Pamela Gilmartin, Keira Loughran, Brenda St. Bernard, Kern Albert, Isaac Thomas.
  • April 20 – May 4:  Joining the playwrights at the Banff Centre Playwrights Colony to work on Conjugal with dramaturge Yvette Nolan.
  • May 8 – 18: Songs of the 54ology staged at Springworks Festival in Stratford/Perth County.  This presentation includes interpreted tunes from The First Stone, Give It Up, The Chariot, Just Now and Salome’s Clothes.
  • Wrapped up a 2013/2014 Playwrights Residency with Canada’s National Arts Centre and it was SWEET.  So much ink hit the paper.  So many new notions churning in the mindmachine.
  • October 23-November 3 2014: A new production of Gas Girls at Black Theatre Workshop, Montreal, with directors Quincy Armorer and Liz Valdez.

2013

  • March 8: Cherrel Holder in BILGUISA SPEAKS UP, featured as part of IWW Wild Women at Sarasvati Theatre in Calgary.
  • May 11:   A staged reading of SALOME’S CLOTHES by Body Theatre for the Springworks Festival, Stratford.  Director Clare Preuss makes magic with Neema Bickersteth, Virgilia Griffith and Karen Robinson.
  • June 22:   A reading of CONJUGAL by Obsidian Theatre with director Philip Akin. (7pm @ Aki Studio Theatre, pwyc)
  • August 8-18:   Body Theatre‘s production of SALOME’S CLOTHES for the Summerworks Festival with director Clare Preuss. (various times  Theatre Passe Muraille Mainstage)
  • October 23-November 3:   Premiere of A MAN A FISH at Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon.  Directed by Philip Adams, the incredible cast included Peter Bailey, Matt Burgess, Nicole Joy Fraser and Johnny Trinh.

Status Update

STATUS UPDATE.

How’s it coming along?  How many are finished?  Can I play too?

Each play listed is marked with a small symbol indicating what stage of development the play has reached.  Feel free to inquire further if you are interested in development, presentation, production or stimulating dialogue.

^  FULL DRAFT.  Production ready draft is complete

*  IN DEVELOPMENT.  Reading draft is complete.  Further development needed.

~  EARLY STAGES.  Research and exploration.  Development investment would be a gift.

Please direct production inquiries to

Michael Petrasek, Kensington Literary Representation

34 St. Andrew Street, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5T 1K6

416.848.9648

kensingtonlit@rogers.com

WISH LIST

I currently have everything I could ever ask for, thanks for asking.