EQ
E Q U I T Y
Q U A R T E R L Y
w i n ter
2 0 0 8
Financial planning is key
Alberta’s twin ladies
Choosing an agent
The Money Issue
A theatre artist’s
annual income
is usually low and often intermittent.
Providing for your family and saving
for retirement can be nearly impossible.
But, our experts say, disciplined habits
and some financial planning will help to
secure your future while leaving room
for your art and realizing your dreams.
President’s
message
First things first – I’d like to share a big thank-you, personally and on behalf of Council, to all who completed our member survey. We received 1,036 responses, which is a great
return. Printed out, the data spreadsheets and member comments form a stack about seven
inches high – that will give you some idea of the amount of information we received. Thank
heavens Leger has the expertise and computer ability to resolve this into a readable report. We
received the summary report in mid-December and will be sharing the results with you soon;
perhaps even by the time you read this column in January.
All right, enough about you. Let’s talk about me.
I have made a point of spreading my email address around so that members can contact me easily. Look! Here it comes again: [email protected].
Members sometimes express surprise that I read these emails. I also reply to
them, forward issues to the people best able to assist, and generally follow
up with an inquiry to find out if the assistance…assisted. But it was two
recent comments that caught my eye: “Don’t you have people to do this
stuff for you?” and “I didn’t expect to actually hear from the President.”
Perhaps an explanation is in order, and overdue.
My name is Allan Teichman and I am a working stage manager. I am not a
“suit,” although I do own a few. Most often, I am a “shorts-and-T-shirt” guy.
Unlike in other organizations, assuming the role of President does not mean
that one withdraws from the workforce. Presidency is inarguably a full-time
responsibility, with a lot of work involved, but it is not a job in the traditional sense. I don’t receive a
salary, although Council does pay me an honorarium in recognition of the time and effort involved.
I don’t have a corner office in Toronto. My “office” is in the basement of my house in Niagara-onthe-Lake, or wherever I happen to work (as I write this, Winnipeg). Arden, our executive director,
provides valuable support through her excellent staff, but I handle most of the core work myself.
So what does the President do? Principally, I am the stage manager for Council. I maintain
schedules, arrange speakers and information sessions on the various topics we consider, set
agendas, chair meetings, enforce Council rules and anything else required so that Council can
do its work effectively, efficiently and creatively. Most of my work is done between meetings.
Occasionally, I am called upon to represent Equity in a ceremonial or other context, but this is
not a primary responsibility.
Finally, because “job one” for Council is to act as the knowledgeable agent of the owners
(that’d be you), I serve as a readily accessible conduit for your communication. It is a responsibility I enjoy, and I am proud to do it.
Allan Teichman
President
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 E quity Q uarterly EQ
E Q U I T Y
Q U A R T E R L Y Wi n ter
6Financial
management 101
9Planning
to succeed
10 Two monuments
to Alberta’s
pioneers
v o lu m e
1
2 0 0 8
n u m b er
1 President’s message
3NOTES FROM ARDEN RYSHPAN
4letterS to the editor
5eq moves
12 EQ VOICES
13 EQ Backstage
14fondly remembered
16eq lives
17eq classifieds
EQ
winter 2008 – Volume 1, Number 4
Executive editor Lynn McQueen
editor Marianne Lepa
contributing editor Mariellen Ward
design Fresh Art & Design
www.freshartdesign.com
DEsign & Layout Chris Simeon,
September Creative
Coming issue: spring 2008
Equity members are encouraged to submit notices of births, marriages, memorial
notices and letters to the editor. Notices and accompanying photos MUST be sent via
email ([email protected]) or on disk with accompanying hard copy. Article submissions
MUST be sent via email ([email protected]) or on disk with accompanying hard copy.
The copy deadline for submissions is February 6, 2008. EQ reserves the right to edit
for length, style and content.
Cover and inside front cover: Disciplined financial management habits are crucial to surviving on a performing arts wage
4
Publications Mail Agreement No. 40038615
EQ is published four times a year by Canadian Actors’ Equity Association.
EQ Equity Quarterly (ISSN 1913-2190) is a forum to communicate to Equity members
the activities of the Association and issues of concern to the Association. With the
exception of the editorial staff, the views expressed in solicited or unsolicited articles
are not necessarily the views of the Association.
Subscriptions are available at an annual rate of $35, including GST.
Notes from
Arden Ryshpan
There used to be a time when certain subjects were simply not discussed in polite
company – money, sex and religion. Oh, how times have changed.
Complete strangers now reveal intimate details of their relationships with their partners and
their higher power to each other at dinner parties. But most people still believe that money talk
is off limits. This reticence to talk about personal finances manifested itself recently as a serious
difficulty in getting members to come forward and speak frankly for this issue of EQ.
It’s no joke freelancing in the entertainment industry, whether you work
in live theatre or in film and television. There is never enough work to go
around and the money, well… the money just ain’t that hot most of the time.
I know. I spent years working as a freelancer before I gave it up to sit behind
a desk. For years, I struggled to make ends meet, not knowing if my current
bank balance would need to last me three weeks (in which case I was flush)
or three months (in which case I was broke). What I did learn was to review
every single paycheque to make sure that I had received every penny I was
owed – maybe that was the start of my attention to collective agreements
– and about dipping into my RRSP. Withdrawing from my RRSP seemed an
easy way to manage my financial difficulties at the time, but now I would
figure out another way, since the small amount I took then would have been worth so much
more today had I left it alone.
I was grateful, some years later, when there was something in the RRSP for me to draw on
for a down payment on my first house – the only truly good reason to use that money before
retirement. That house, its subsequent sale and my current house form part of my retirement
strategy. I don’t profess to be any smarter or more disciplined about my finances than the average person, but I have learned that, in our business, you have to have a plan of some kind – no
matter how modest or how difficult it may be to stick with.
Recently, I attended the funeral of an old friend, someone who started in the business at the
same time I did. His finances weren’t in good shape and his old friends were asked to bring an
envelope along with them to help pay for the funeral expenses and provide some immediate
cash for his children. If this issue of EQ does anything, I hope it provides the motivation and
information for just one member to take a new look at their financial situation and ensure that
their friends will never have to pass the hat at their funeral.
Arden R. Ryshpan
Executive Director
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 E quity Q uarterly Letters to the editor
Update on Calgary’s arts spaces
renovate purpose-built arts spaces. We’re
It was great to see the feature on arts space eagerly awaiting the first applications in
in the summer issue of EQ, [EQ Summer January 2008. Look for more details at
2007] and thanks again for getting www.calgaryartsdevelopment.com.
in touch with us to learn more about
– Terry Rock, PhD, President & CEO,
Calgary’s approach to the challenging
Calgary Arts Development
issue of space for the arts.
As your article noted, in April
Dance issue ‘interesting
2007, Calgary city council
and fresh’
agreed to pledge up to
I loved the cross section of
Capturing the
$150 million for arts spaces
dancers [EQ Fall 2007] and
ephemeral:
a dancer’s life
development in Calgary
honestly, at the risk of sounding
EQ
E Q U I T Y
Q U A R T E R L Y
over the next seven years.
By way of an update, we’re
now moving forward with
the launch of an Arts Spaces
Investment Process that will
allow artists, arts organizations and other
groups to be recommended for municipal
funding for capital projects that create or
restore hope
The Actors’ Fund of Canada
Celebrating 50 years of
providing emergency financial
aid to Equity members and
other entertainment industry
professionals
regain control
rebuild a life
For more anniversary
information or to donate
online, visit
www.actorsfund.ca
E quity Q uarterly
F A L L
2 0 0 7
A dAncer’s resource
IntroducIng Arden ryshpAn
world-clAss operA house
like an ignorant snob, it was
the first time I actually read
the newsletter, as opposed to
skimming. It was more about
the artists than the money
– very nice, relevant, interesting and fresh.
I hope it stays in some form.
– Sarah Murphy-Dyson, Equity member
Update on mortgage fraud case
Re: Safe house? A cautionary tale of mortgage fraud – [Equity News October 2006]
I would like to thank everyone who was so
concerned and supportive when my house
was “sold” from under me. I am happy to
say I never did actually lose the house as the
criminals were only interested in the quartermillion-dollar mortgage cheque! All’s well
that ends well – title restored with mortgage
removed, lawyers fees reimbursed, one person arrested, and much effort put into changing the law and the loopholes that made this
fraud so ludicrously easy to perpetrate. And
to crown it all, last week I became a Canadian
citizen! About time, eh?
– Elizabeth Shepherd
An active letters section can offer a forum
for discussion of performing arts issues. This
is your page and EQ encourages our readers to make use of this space for comments
on articles from the magazine or issues that
affect you as an Equity member.
Letters on subjects of concern to Equity members
will be considered for publication. The editor reserves the
right to limit letters and to select one or two representative
letters when many similar letters are received. Letters must
be signed, but names will be withheld on request for those
letters that may affect members’ employment.
Signatures will not be withheld on letters that are
antagonistic or accusatory, either implied or expressed,
against other members. Opinions expressed in Letters to
the Editor are not necessarily those of Canadian Actors’
Equity Association. Letters that include artistic criticism of
Equity members may be withheld or edited at the discretion
of the editor.
National Office
44 Victoria Street, 12th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5C 3C4
Phone: 416-867-9165 | Fax: 416-867-9246 | Toll-free:
1-800-387-1856 (members only)
[email protected] | www.caea.com
Western Office
505 - 321 Water Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 1B8
Phone: 604-682-6173 | Fax: 604-682-6174 | Toll-free:
1-877-682-6173 (members only)
[email protected]
Photo credits:
Cover and inside front cover: Chris Blanchenot
Contents page: Chris Blanchenot
Page 6, 7, 8, 9: Chris Blanchenot
Page 11: photographs of Jubilee Auditorium by Ellis
Brothers Photography Ltd.
Page 12: Photographer unknown
Page 14: Photo of Tibor Feheregyhazi breaking ground
at the new Persephone Theatre courtesy of Persephone
Theatre
Page 15: Photo of Eleanor Beecroft Stewart, courtesy of
Vern Chapman
Production credits, page 5:
Photo Credit: David Cooper
Arts Club Theatre Company’s 2006 production of Cookin’
at The Cookery: The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter
written, directed, and choreographed by Marion J. Caffey.
Choreographed by Roumel Roux. Cast: Jackie Richardson
and Janice Lorraine. Stage Management: Caryn Ellen Fehr,
Zoe Sanborn and Rachel Bland.
Production Credits, Page 10:
Photo Credit: Trudie Lee
Production credit: Frobisher, by composer John Estacio
and librettist John Murrell, was co-commissioned and
co-produced by Calgary Opera and The Banff Centre
in 2007. Directed by Kelly Robinson and conducted by
Jean-Marie Zeitouni. Fight choreography by Jean-Pierre
Fournier. Stage Management: Bonni Baynton, Kimberley
DeLude (apprentice), Roxanne Prokop and Donna
Sharpe. Cast: Kimberly Barber, Stephen Bell, Matthew
Bedard, John Fanning, Marc Hervieux, Andrea Hill, Derek
Johnson, Michelle Keobke, James Levesque, Andrew
Love, Michelle Minke, Dionne Sellinger, Elizabeth M.
Turnbull and Laura Whalen.
Production Credits, Page 11:
Photo Credit: Charles Hope
Production Credit: Fiddle and The Drum, Alberta Ballet’s
2007 world premiere production.
Music by Joni Mitchell and choreography by Artistic
Director Jean Grand-Maître. Stage manager: Deb
Howard. In the 2006-2007 Alberta Ballet company:
Leigh Allardyce, Reid Bartelme, Nicole Caron, Sandrine
Cassini, Liyin Chen, Igor Chornovol, Laetitia Clement,
Emily Collier, Christopher Gray, Yukichi Hattori, Nadia
Iozzo, Davidson Jaconello, Galien Johnston, Matthew
Lehmann, Alexis Maragozis, Daniel Marshalsay, Maki
Matsuoka, Kelley McKinlay, Hamilton Nieh, Rie Ogura,
Anthony Pina, Racheal Lynn Prince, Blair Puente,
Jonathan Renna, Erica Turner and Tara Williamson.
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
EQ Moves
Performing arts people are going places
Michael Shamata recently took up his new role as Artistic
Director of The Belfry Theatre (Victoria, BC) in November 2007
and is preparing for his inaugural 2008-2009 season.
The Canadian Conference of the Arts bestowed the 2007 Keith
Kelly Award for Cultural Leadership to Robert Pilon and Garry Neil
in recognition of their respective dedication to international organizations promoting cultural diversity. This annual award recognizes
Canadians who have made a significant contribution to the arts
through advocacy work and the development of cultural policy.
Multi-disciplinary director and poet/performer Ahdri Zhina
Mandiela (Toronto, ON) was a recent winner of a Victor Martyn
Lynch-Staunton Award. This $15,000 prize recognizes outstanding
mid-career artists in the disciplines funded by the Canada Council.
Andrew Kushnir won the 2007 Stage West – Equity Emerging Theatre Artist Award and its $2,000 cash prize. This award,
initiated in celebration of Equity’s silver anniversary in 2001, is
sponsored by Stage West Theatre Restaurants, and recognizes an
Equity member of three years or less who has made a significant
contribution and impression as an artist.
Jim Morrow, Artistic Director of Mermaid Theatre of Nova
Scotia, was awarded an honourary Doctor of Humanities degree
by his alma mater Acadia University (Wolfville, NS).
Soheil Parsa (Toronto, ON), Alisa Palmer (Toronto, ON) and
Ron Jenkins (Edmonton, AB) were short-listed for the 2007 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre recognizing a professional director who
has made a significant contribution to theatre in Canada. Montreal native Brigitte Haentjens was the winner of the prize.
Performer and playwright Wanda R. Graham was among five
recipients of the 2007 Established Artist Recognition Award for theatre in Nova Scotia. This award acknowledges artists who continue
the development of their craft within and outside the province.
David Mann, former Artistic Director of Workshop West Theatre (Edmonton) and Sunshine Theatre (Kelowna), has taken up
the permanent post of Business Representative in Equity’s Western Office. He replaces Ingrid Turk, who recently chose to leave
her position with the Association to pursue other opportunities.
In October, Meaghan Dolson joined the staff of the Association’s National Office as receptionist. She comes to Equity with a
background in the film entertainment industry.
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 Jackie Richardson and Janice Lorraine in the Arts Club Theatre
Company’s production of Cookin’ at The Cookery
At Equity Council’s 2007 Honours Awards ceremony
held in Halifax, NS, Jackie Richardson (Toronto, ON)
and Gordon Tootoosis (Cutknife, SK) were honoured
with Life Membership in Equity in recognition of
their distinguished careers in the performing arts.
Daphne Goldrick (Vancouver, BC) received the Larry
McCance Award for her outstanding contribution to
the Association. She spearheaded the 1978 push to
open the Association’s Western Office. Playwright and
novelist Tomson Highway was made an Honorary Equity
Member in appreciation of his outstanding contribution
to both the performing arts in Canada and aboriginal
theatre at home and around the world.
E quity Q uarterly Where d o y o u w a n t t o b e i n 1 0 year s ?
Financial mana
By Marianne Lepa
Mon ey
“Sometimes artists don’t approach their career as a selfemployed person starting a business,” Ray says. “But all the same
things apply. If you were starting any other kind of business you’d
can be a touchy subject for people who
work in theatre – especially those who work in Canadian theatre.
But sound financial planning can help give you the peace of mind
you need to concentrate on your art.
“Artists are extremely important to our fabric as a nation.” says
Ray Wallis, a Certified Financial Planner for The Investors Group in
Vancouver. “Artists shouldn’t have to worry about their finances
like other people – they make a different contribution to society
– but it is the reality in this country.”
Ray was a professional actor for 10 years and a theatre admin-
start with a business plan.”
Where do you want to be in five to 10 years? How much money
will it take to get there? These questions, according to Ray, are the
basic building blocks of a financial plan.
“Financial planning 101 – no matter what your income is – if
you make X, spend X minus-one and save the minus-one somewhere,” he says.
“I know I have these payments and this is how much money I have,
so if I over-spend I can’t eat,” Joel Smith, tells EQ while on break from
rehearsing Oliver Twist with Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary.
istrator for another eight. For the last 16 years, Ray has been a
“I have a budget, but I don’t stick to it all that well. I tend
financial advisor to Vancouver’s arts community and he acts as an
to like to eat out, but I try,” says the 28-year-old co-founder of
advisor to the Vancouver Performing Arts Lodge.
THEATREboom.
E quity Q uarterly
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
management 101
Joel worked full-time in advertising sales for a few years before
deciding to become an actor. With money he had saved, he and
his brother purchased a condo in Calgary. The two share the condo
and Joel says the cost of ownership is much less than what he’d
be paying in rent.
“It’s sort of a given that you will have dry spells,” he says. “The
opportunity to have the investment of the home is a good thing;
there’s a lot of options there for me.”
Joel does put money aside when he can, but he’s not too concerned about his future right now.
“I think for the most part I should be fine,” he says. “I’m a
healthy young guy capable of moving stones if I have to.”
Ray recommends taking advantage of times with steady work to
prepare for when the work dries up, suggesting that artists should
save a reserve of about four to six months worth of expenses, and
keep that money as a cushion to help you survive the inevitable
rainy days.
Acknowledging that it’s tempting to spend when you have lots
of money coming in, consistently saving your money is a personal discipline that will reap long-term benefits. If you are treating yourself when the money flows, you need to “get off that
bandwagon,” he says.
Saskatoon-based actor Kent Allen agrees that it’s a sound principle, but easier said than done. Kent is currently in Calgary working
on The Love List at Stage West. He travels a lot in pursuit of roles,
leaving his wife, Kathy, Arts Consultant for the Saskatchewan Arts
Board, and two children – a daughter, 14 and son, 9 – in the home
they’ve owned for 16 years. Bills pile up, says Kent, and when the
work does come, a lot of money goes to pay down accumulated
debt and to prepare for their children’s future.
Kent and Kathy began saving for their children’s post-secondary
education right after the birth of their daughter. They opened a
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) and make a commitment
to contribute something to the plan every three months.
“We contribute what we can,” Kent says, “but sometimes we
have to scramble.”
Kent says it’s unlikely the plan will yield enough to cover all the
education costs for both children, but “it’s what we can do.”
“It allows us to feel we have contributed,” he says. “It’s one of
the most important things you can do for the kids.”
“I don’t know what the trick is,” sighs Ramona Gilmour-Darling.
In her early thirties, Ramona has been acting since she was a teenager in roles with numerous companies. She says she “has been
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 lucky” to have regular work nearly every summer at the Thousand
Islands Playhouse in Gananoque, Ontario that lets her add to her
savings every year. Between acting jobs, Ramona works at two
part-time clerical jobs and teaches dance classes to help support
her career in the theatre.
It’s hard to keep up, Ramona admits, but “at least there is something coming in when I don’t have a theatre gig.” The outside
work “basically pays for my classes, food and transportation.”
She and fiancé Sandy Thorburn, who also has an intermittent
income from musical theatre, rent an apartment in Toronto’s west
end, and are considering buying a home. They have managed to
put away enough money to provide for a down payment – helped
along by a three-month gig for Ramona on the TVOntario series,
Big Comfy Couch.
“It was an insane amount of money,” laughs Ramona. “It
seemed like easy money, after I worked so hard in theatre. I squirreled it all away, knowing I may never have another opportunity,”
she says.
Ramona put her TVO cheques into a high-interest savings
account, keeps expenses low and avoids using credit cards. This
thrifty couple also empty their wallets every night of coins and $5
bills that go into a jar and then to their savings account. They are
building on a “nest egg” Ramona saved by working at a full-time
job for a year after graduating in music from McGill. She has continued to contribute to it, whenever possible, ever since.
E quity Q uarterly “ N o b o d y pla n s t o fail , b ut m a n y fail t o pla n ”
Ramona says that, so far, she has not touched her Equity Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) that has been building while
she worked. But she plans to take advantage of the Home Buyer’s
Plan that allows first-time buyers to borrow as much as $20,000
from their RRSPs and pay it back gradually over 15 years.
And that’s the one and only time it’s acceptable to withdraw
from your RRSP, says Ray Wallis.
“The biggest mistake actors make is to withdraw funds from
their RRSP,” he says. “An RRSP loses worth when you withdraw
E quity Q uarterly
funds, even if you replace that amount later. But, investing in the
equity of the home is to your advantage.”
Artists learn in school how to set goals and be realistic about
their careers, Ray says. “They are taught to base plans on what
will probably happen over 10 years. And if you make it big, that’s
a windfall.”
The same applies to your financial future, he explains, “If you can’t
think about saving $300 a month, get habits in place. Think about
spending habits and how much you need to earn to sustain your
business.”
Gord Lewis, Vice President of Proteus Performance Management agrees, but understands that “the reality is that employment
income isn’t regular.”
Gord is a consultant to Equity on the management of the RRSP
funds. His company provides performance reporting and helps ensure
that the plan will comply with regulators’ expectations and legislative
requirements. Proteus also offers retirement planning to Equity members when moving RRSP funds into a retirement income product.
How much do you need to retire?
“It depends on what you want to do at retirement,” says Gord,
“Anyone should have a realistic understanding of what your savings
will provide and what you will require.”
Under most agreements, Equity members contribute 6% of their
gross weekly fees to their Equity RRSP. The contributions are deducted
at source and forwarded to Equity by the engagers.
“If you start work at 22 years old, making $25,000 a year, just
those contributions at age 65 would mean $600,000 in an Equity
RRSP,” says Ray. “Maybe not enough for a comfortable retirement
but it’s more than you’ll have if you didn’t contribute.” (See Planning
to Succeed on page 9.)
“The RRSP should be seen as a part of the retirement saving strategy, not the entire strategy,” confirms Gord. When preparing to
retire, you need to look at how much is in your RRSP, how much
equity you may have in a house or other investments, as well.
Joel Smith admits he’s “not that well-versed in it,” but he knows an
RRSP is a good thing. Joel particularly likes the automatic withdrawal
from his Equity pay. He says it’s like the money wasn’t there at all. But
Joel’s retirement plan is in real estate, he wants hard assets he can sell
when he’s ready to retire.
“We are fortunate as a couple working in the arts who have a
family,” says Kent Allen, who has used his RRSP fund to help cover
lean times. “We’ve been able to survive to this point and we have
optimism for the future. I wish things were better….”
“We’re thinking about adopting a 40 year-old lawyer, as our retirement plan,” quips Ramona Gilmour-Darling. “It turns out there aren’t
that many who want to be adopted, but we’re still hoping.”
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
O n li n e
pla n n i n g
t o o l s
Planning to succeed
By Marianne Lepa
How much will you need to
retire? As Proteus Performance Management’s Gord Lewis points
out in our feature story, how much you need will depend on what
you want to do at retirement. If you plan to travel or go back to
school and earn a degree, then your retirement savings will need
to reflect those costs.
Great-West Life (GWL), which handles the Equity group RRSP
plans, provides tools on its website that, as an Equity member, you
can use to manage your plan and help you determine the amount of
money you need to be saving now to realize your future dreams.
Did you know that Equity’s RRSP plan has nine different funds
to choose from? Many members allow their contributions to go
into the default fund and may not realize that there are other
options that could add value to their investments. The GWL tools
are there to help you explore these options.
After logging onto GWL’s secure site, you can select from several management functions or use one of the planning tools to
guide decisions about your funds.
The Smart Retirement Guide will assist you in making informed
financial decisions about your retirement savings. A questionnaire
asks you to think about what you want for your retirement years
and then guides you in making decisions on investment plans and
strategies to achieve your goals. A Tips &Topics section offers
advice on ways to maximize your savings and information about
how investment savings work.
How you invest your money can impact your future income.
Higher risk investments can yield higher returns, but they come
with a greater possibility of not succeeding. A risk-tolerance
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 questionnaire will give you an idea of how much investment risk
you may want to take on at this point in your life. The tool will
also offer suggestions on managing a mix of funds that match
your risk-tolerance level and needs.
There are also forms on the site that let you make changes
to your contact information, print statements, change beneficiaries and/or trustee information, make lump sum deposits to your
RRSP and apply for a spousal RRSP, if you wish.
To access these tools, go to www.greatwestlife.com and select
Group Retirement Services from the main webpage. If you are
not yet registered, please call the GWL bilingual Client Service
Centre (1-800-724-3402, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
ET) to speak with a client service representative. Equity members must have their “certificate number” (their Equity member
number) at hand.
RRSP CONTRIBUTIONS
The deadline for voluntary RRSP contributions for deduc­
tion from 2007 income tax is February 29, 2008, at 12:00
noon. Your individual RRSP contribution cap for 2007
was included on your 2006 tax summary issued by the
Canada Revenue Agency.
Your cheque must be payable to London Life and mailed to:
Great-West Life, Group Retirement Services, 330 University
Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1R8.
Please ensure that your name and certificate number are
clearly marked on the front of the cheque.
E quity Q uarterly Two monuments to
Twinned at birth, Alberta’s ‘Jubes‘ are the ‘grand old ladies of the province’
In 1955, celebrations for Alberta’s 50th anniversary
included a gift to all Albertans: twin theatres in the provinces’s two
major cities. The Southern Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary and the
Northern Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton have served as a focus
for Alberta’s arts communities ever since.
“The government believes that they will be both appropriate
and practical memorials to the 50 years of development and to
those pioneers whose foresight and fortitude made that progress
possible,” said then-premier E.C. Manning at the official opening
of the “Jubes” in 1957.
Fifty years later, Katherine Huising, General Manager at the
Northern Jubilee, will attest to the sentiment the theatres hold
for Albertans.
“Anytime I tell someone what I do, someone has a story about
the building,” she tells EQ. “They are really seen as the grand old
ladies of the province, and anyone who has lived in the province for
any length of time has had some connection with the buildings.”
In 2005, Alberta’s centennial year, the Jubes underwent a
facelift. Both venues closed for a year and the nearly identical
theatres were rebuilt with an eye to improving the acoustics and
seating.
“They were gutted to the walls,” says Mike Denscombe,
General Manager of the Southern Jubilee. Unfortunately, modern
building codes meant that some seats were lost in the renovation,
but it was “well worth it” for the improved space, he says.
Both Jubes are home to the Alberta Ballet, and each Jubilee
hosts their respective city’s opera companies, along with a myriad
other performing arts groups in Alberta.
“We are very proud to call them our home,” says Alberta Ballet
artistic director, Jean Grande-Maître. “It’s much more exciting for
the audience now, and the backstage is spacious and the dressing
rooms are quite luxurious compared to others where I’ve been.”
But let’s lay one myth to rest. Katherine says there is no
evidence whatsoever that the original Northern Jubilee suffered
from construction materials that were inadequate for Edmonton’s
climate. Even though the rumour is listed as a fascinating fact on
their website, “I’ve never found a single bit of documentation to
verify it,” she says.
10 E quity Q uarterly
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
Alberta’s pioneers
Opposite page: Elizabeth Turnbull as
Queen Elizabeth I in the 2007 Calgary Opera
world premiere of Frobisher
Top left: Alberta’s twin Jubilee Auditoriums
opened in 1957 and were refurbished in 2005
Top right: The Northern Jubilee auditorium
after its recent refurbishment
Left: The theatres were gutted and rebuilt to
improve acoustics and audience comfort
Lower left and right: Alberta Ballet’s
Fiddle and the Drum at the Southern Jubilee
in February 2007
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 E quity Q uarterly 11
EQ Voices
On October 28th, 2007, Gordon Tootoosis was awarded Life
Membership in Canadian Actors’ Equity. In presenting the award
on behalf of Council, Kerry Davidson spoke of Gordon’s love for
his family, his community and his career. Our “Voices” column
this issue is an edited version of her remarks.
Gordon Tootoosis is an
artist whose contributions to the performing arts in Canada can
barely be summed up
in one lifetime, let alone
in a few words. Anyone
who watches television or films will know
the movie-star version
of Gordon Tootoosis.
His work in such films
as Alien Thunder, Legends of the Fall, Leaving
Normal and Black Robe,
leave no doubt as to his
incredible acting abilities. He has appeared on
stage across Canada with
companies such as Persephone Theatre, the Centaur, and Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre, to name
a few. But it was his
portrayal of Albert Golo
in the series North of 60
that gave us an insight
into all that is troubling,
complex and ultimately
hopeful about band life.
Gordon was born on,
and spent his childhood on, the Poundmaker Reserve in Saskatchewan, where he continues to live with his family today. Like many
native children, Gordon was torn from his home and family as a
child and forced to attend a Catholic residential school. There he was
forbidden to speak his own language and suffered countless humili-
“
Gordon’s
work proves
that theatre is
about building
communities,
about building
spiritual and
emotional
connections, and
about sharing
our stories.
”
12 E quity Q uarterly
ations and abuses. As an adult, he has been a tireless advocate for
survivors of residential schools, and a champion of native rights.
In the late 1990s Gordon, with friends and colleagues Kenneth
Charlette and Tantoo Cardinal, recognized that Saskatchewan
needed an Aboriginal organization that would provide meaningful
cultural programs. From that group of friends, the Saskatchewan
Native Theatre Company was born.
Since its inception in 1999, the SNTC has grown far beyond what
its name implies. It produces almost 30 projects a year, including
professional and community theatre productions, artists’ presentations and showcases combined with festivals. The SNTC also offers
the Ensemble Theatre Arts professional training program and Circle
of Voices, a youth empowerment course that helps Aboriginal youth
gain confidence and self-respect as they discover their potential to
succeed.
Gordon embodies the company’s understanding that arts and
culture are intertwined and an integral part of the human makeup. He remains actively involved in the SNTC, sitting on the board
of directors as a working member. He regularly attends meetings, fundraises and mentors young artists who pass through the
theatre’s doors.
Gordon’s work proves that theatre is about building communities, about building spiritual and emotional connections, and about
sharing our stories. While it can be about escaping the harsh realities
of life, theatre is equally about shining a bright light on those harsh
realities and encouraging us to find the truth within ourselves.
His advice to young actors starting out is always the same: “Work
hard, study your craft, start with theatre and work your way up…
and have a backup profession!”
Gordon’s dedication to his art and to his family stand as testament
to what a spark of talent and a boatload of hard work can bring.
By creating environments such as SNTC – not just a theatre but a
school, a workplace, a training ground – Gordon, and the many
others who work with him, bring the art of the spoken word to a
whole community that would otherwise see nothing on stage that
bears any resemblance to their daily lives.
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EQ Backstage
Choosing an agent who works for you
By Catherine Knights
“
A talent agent much wiser than me once said that for the theatre actor, an agent was a “necessary
luxury.” In a country with a limited arena for paid performance, plus an endless pool of exceptional
talent, having to share a percentage of your meager sums (often for work you found yourself) can
be tough. But, each season, a new cadre of eager theatre grads and a healthy contingent of actors
dissatisfied with their current representation agonize over how to find the perfect agent.
As agents, we don’t make it all that easy for you either. Legitimate agents don’t advertise. And,
honestly, papering the whole bunch of us is often a waste of resumés and pricey headshots. You
will save yourself much time and money by putting the effort into
narrowing the list to agencies that sound right for you and focusing
your approach on them.
But how to discover which agencies have a love, respect, and an
affinity for the stage actor?
The first step seems obvious: Talk to other actors. Question your
fellow classmates, your teachers, cast members and other professionals
in the business. Take other people’s remarks with a certain grain of
salt. Clients and ex-clients will often paint a picture that is either too
rosy or too gruesome.
If you are hoping to add film and TV to your theatre work, move
across the media, build a career that straddles the very different and
difficult realms of stage and screen, then make sure you look for an
agent who recognizes that often the decisions will have to be based on
art not commerce.
Once you have distilled your list to an appropriate sub group, your
next challenge is to get a referral. Most agents take referrals from their
clients seriously and referrals that come from directors, teachers or casting persons with whom the agent already has a relationship almost
always result in a meeting.
An introduction at a business-related event like an opening or a
seminar can be another potential link to an agent. You may need to
remind the agent in your follow-up where the introduction occurred,
but most of us will respond gracefully and consider a meeting. While
ethical agents won’t approach actors whom they know have representation, all of us have met
with performers who were considering a change, and sometimes those meetings result in a future
relationship or, as often happens, reassure the actor they are with the right agent after all.
And finally, referring back to the agent as a necessary luxury, I am sure there are many Equity
members who are not represented by a professional agent at all. They just don’t need one…yet. If
you are starting out, take the time to get to know your community, including the agents. Let’s face
it, those first few job acceptances are going to be an uncomplicated “yes.” The time for an agent is
when you reach the stage where you need someone to help you say “no,” for that is the hardest
thing for an actor to do. And that is when the luxury becomes the necessity.
In a country with a limited
arena for paid performance, plus
an endless pool of exceptional
talent, having to share a
percentage of your meager
sums (often for work you found
yourself) can be tough. But,
each season, a new cadre of
eager theatre grads and a healthy
contingent of actors dissatisfied
with their current representation
agonize over how to find the
perfect agent.
”
Catherine Knights is the agent/owner of 3SG Talent Management in Toronto. A member of the Board of TAMAC (Talent
Agent’s and Manager’s Association of Canada), she serves as liaison with the unions and professional guilds and is
frequently consulted on matters pertaining to agreements, industry standards and inter-agency protocol.
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 E quity Q uarterly 13
Fondly remembered
Tibor Feheregyhazi 1932 – 2007
By Cheryl Jack
EQ asked me to write about Tibor
Feheregyhazi in 350 words. If any of
you ever worked with the man, you
know that that is impossible. He is not
the kind of person you sum up in a few
words. He was a force in the theatre.
His heart and passion for his work was
like none other. He never stopped until
his body finally forced him to. But let
me tell you, his spirit and those twinkling eyes were there right up to the
end. I, along with many others, had a
great respect and love for Tibor.
Tibor was born in Budapest, Hungary. He was a prominent child actor
with the Hungarian Radio service and
later graduated from the National
Theatre and Film School. He would
often remind his cast of this fact when
rehearsing, “I was a child actor, you
know, in Budapest. I’m not a director,
but I know when something is true.
When it is honest I hear it.” And he
could.
In 1956, he fled his country after
fighting in the Hungarian Revolution.
Anyone who ever had the privilege
to work with Tibor would have heard
many a story about the war, the revolution and the politics of that time. Somehow, every play I ever worked on was
connected to that revolution.
After washing hospital floors and
working in a camera shop, Tibor was
accepted to the National Theatre
School of Canada and has been part
of the Canadian theatre scene ever since. He was the resident
director of the second stage at the Manitoba Theatre Centre,
the artistic director of Magnus Theatre and finally the artistic
director of Persephone Theatre. Tibor was awarded the Order
of Canada in 2005.
14 E quity Q uarterly
Many of us will miss this man as he had a great love for the
actor and the audience. He made it clear to anyone who worked
with him that the members of the audience were the most important people in the theatre. His respect for his audience and his
community will never be forgotten. We love you, Tibor.
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
Eleanor Beecroft Stewart
1906 - 2007
By David Gardner
Canada’s oldest actress died in Toronto, 20 September 2007, at the age
of 101. Eleanor was a lifelong friend. Her motto was “Toujours gai.” I had
the pleasure of directing and acting with her, and she engineered an earlier
divorce for my dear wife so that we could get married one year earlier. My
abiding memory is of seeing her standing and bouncing on her four-poster
bed at one of her innumerable parties. Born in London, ON, she made her first
mark at the University of Toronto with the U.C. Players’ Guild while studying
languages, and then with the University Alumnae and Heliconian Clubs as
an actress, producer and president of both. She also studied ballet with Boris
Volkoff and sang extensively. Eleanor began appearing professionally in CBC
Television in the late 1950s, and then with such Equity companies as the
Straw Hat Players, Melody Fair, the Vineland Summer Theatre, Theatre New
Brunswick, the Shaw Festival (three seasons), and Toronto Arts Productions.
Her feature films included Hard To Say for CBS and Atlantic City with Burt
Lancaster. She was one of the founding members of the PAL Place in Toronto.
We saw her a couple of weeks before she passed away. She couldn’t speak
but as I leaned down over her, she gave me one final radiant smile.
Paul Craig 1929 – 2007
By Anne Butler
I met Paul at the Shaw Festival in the halcyon days of 1965. He was a
quite perfect Henry Higgins to my controversial Eliza Doolittle. (Nathan
Cohen wrote my cockney accent was not authentic, much to the amusement of the company.) Paul was always the absolute English gentleman
and we remained friends to the end of his life. He trained as an engineer,
but traded occupations to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His
West End credits include The Arts Theatre, The Royal Court (Son of York)
and JB at the Phoenix Theatre. His many productions in Canada included
a tour of Beyond the Fringe, Oh What a Lovely War (Buffalo), Private
Lives (MTC), Harold and Maude with Glynis Johns (Citadel Theatre), plus
a score of television and radio shows. His accomplishments are too numerous to mention, including every major theatre across Canada. He will be
much missed by his family and friends.
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 E quity Q uarterly 15
EQ Lives
First comes love, then comes marriage...
Wedding
1
We eloped! Duncan Fraser and Lee Van
Paassen made a romantic trip to Las Vegas
where, in the Chapel of Love, they were
pronounced husband and wife “before God
and The King.” The bride and groom were
dressed in traditional Scottish and Dutch
ethnic attire, while Elvis wore a golden tuxedo and copious Brylcreem. Special thanks
to Chris and Dean at Bard on the Beach for
re-arranging rehearsals and keeping our
secret until after the honeymoon.
Births
1. Born to Equity stage manager Nicole Hannah (nee Willliamson) and her husband
Fraser Hannah, a daughter. Eleanor Margaret Rose Hannah, using the stage name
“Rosie” made her entrance on April 4, 2007. Nicole is formerly of Toronto and Victoria,
and now makes her home in Vancouver with her family.
2. Equity member Emily Talia and her husband, Sebastian Sztabzyb, are thrilled to introduce you all to Annie Kate Sztabzyb, born January 28, 2007, weighing 7 lbs 14 ounces.
2
3. Camille James and her husband Timothy Cameron are delighted to announce the
arrival of their son, Vaughan Douglas Wade Cameron. Vaughan was born at home
on February 3, 2007, after an efficient labour of 3 hours and 57 minutes. At birth he
weighed 8 lbs even and was 20.5” long. This sweet charmer loves to sing and is a
delight to the whole family.
4. Chris McGregor, Nicole Le Vasseur and Lachlan McGregor welcomed Quinn Shaelyn
McGregor, 7lbs 1oz, into the family on September 18, 2007, at 3:47p.m.
3
5. Equity stage manager Heather Landon and her husband Joseph Landon are completely in love with their new little girl, Malaya Alexandria Landon, born June 13, 2007,
at 7 lbs 4 oz. First-time grandparents Judy and Dave Erskine and Audrey and Jon Landon
are excited to welcome her to the world!
4
16 E quity Q uarterly
5
w i n ter 2 0 0 8
EQ Classifieds
FRIENDLY COACHING WITH BARBARA
GORDON will help you choose a monologue
or gear up for an audition. With 30 years of
experience in theatres across Canada, film and
television. Barbara can lend an impartial eye
and ear to help you clarify your thinking and
boost your confidence. (416) 535-0058
JOY OF DANCE STUDIO
What actor doesn’t need a flexible second
job? Why not become a Ballroom Dance
Teacher? The Joy of Dance Studio at Broadview & Danforth is now offering the first
professional teachers training program in
Canada. No previous dance experience is
required. Classes are either Mondays &
Thursdays 6 - 8 p.m. or Saturdays & Sundays
Noon - 2 p.m. www.joyofdance.ca
THE TAXXMAN: PETER MESSALINE
I’ve already helped someone you know. Been
blindsided by Canada Revenue? Work with
me and shrug it off. No attitude, just experience and sympathy. Children, foreign work,
GST, incorporation advice, back taxes. Tax
for artists by an artist. Call (416) 960-9272
for free advice. [email protected]
www.petermessaline.com
RESOLUTION!
There’s nothing like sustained
resolve to transform long-held
dreams into reality.
It’s a procrastination-busting energy
that can move you out of “wishing”
into “doing” and “achieving.”
In this fresh New Year, we challenge
you to resolve to get your financial
act together – starting with taxes.
So don’t let yourself procrastinate.
Pick up the phone and give us a
call... right this very minute!
U U U
Tambri Tax Services
Arts & Entertainment Specialists
Toronto 416-588-4474
Canada & U.S.A. 1-877-282-6274
tambritaxservices.com
w i n ter 2 0 0 8 SINGING LESSONS/COACHING WITH
DONNA GARNER
Qualified instruction (H.B.Mus.perf/RCM Examiner) in vocal technique and/or repertoire
coaching for all ages and levels. Twenty years
teaching experience in classical/contemporary/music theatre. Studio centrally located
a 10 minute walk from Davisville subway
station. A positive, straightforward teaching
approach with no mind games. For more information call (416) 533-2643
INCOME TAX PLUS!
I am a chartered accountant specializing in
providing tax and financial services to people
in the entertainment field. I offer e-file and
paper filing for current and prior years. I can
help with GST and other issues as well. You
get friendly, professional service and reasonable rates. IAN G. HUNT, C.A. 79 Bowmore
Rd., Toronto, ON M4L 3J1 (416) 463-6471 or
[email protected].
SARAH SHEARD M.A. PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Do you have trouble dealing with self-doubt,
depression, rejection, difficult associates and
other commonly faced problems of artists?
Perhaps I can help you. I have a unique understanding of your world, the world of the creative
artist. Since 1995 I have helped people reboot
their passion, dissolve old emotional patterns,
and rediscover the joy of taking risks. Reasonable rates. Riverdale office. (416) 778-1224 or
sarahsheard.com. For upcoming workshop info
email me at: [email protected].
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR 2008 AND BEYOND?
Are your audition pieces right for you? Do they
have sufficient contrast to show your talent?
Do you really understand period movement?
How confident are you with your preparedness?
Does the dialect fit your characterization? If
you answer NO to any of these questions,
contact Mairtin O’Carrigan, Master instructor
(647) 341-0641. Real rates for actors.
Professional Development Program
wint e r 2 0 0 8
Introduction to the Suzuki Actor Training Method with Jennifer Gillespie
Get That Commercial with Ann Turnbull
Staged Violence For Actors with Kara Wooten
Advanced Scene Study with R.H. Thomson
Meisner Technique with Robert Verlaque
Introductory or Intermediate/Advance Voice For The Camera And Stage with David Smukler
The Art of Acting, Scene Study, Audition Technique and The Actor’s Forum (NEW)
with Kevin McCormick
On-Camera Scene Study and Audition Technique with Janet-Laine Green
Voice-Over with Elva Mai Hoover
Movement with Elena Kanaki
Acting – The Craft with Beth Laing
Two Audition Pieces For Your Pocket with Tedde Moore
Shakespeare’s Clues and Shakespeare Scene Study with Peter Van Wart
Character vs. Actor: Finding The Emotional Power Of A Scene with Rod Ceballos
Advance On-Camera Scene Study with Brenda Bazinet
Advanced Scene Study with Rosemary Dunsmore
Masterclass: Getting Behind The Text – The Old Shaw Festival Method with Christopher Newton
Classical Theatre Lab
For more information and to apply for a class: www.equityshowcase.ca (416) 533-6100 ext.21
Space Rental (studios and auditorium) available at EST
CAEA member discount
Call Lin for more information (416) 533-6100 ext. 26
E quity Q uarterly 17
EQ
E Q U I T Y
Q U A R T E R L Y
What’s new online
What to find at www.caea.com
Equity introduces “Members Assistance Programme”
•
•
•
•
•
Equity has joined with the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television, ACTRA, the
Directors Guild of Canada, the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, the Guild of
Canadian Film Composers and the Writers Guild of Canada to provide members in
good standing with a comprehensive benefits package. Members are now eligible
to access the Members’ Advantage Program entitling them to discounts and benefits on a range of national and local services. Further details are available online at
www.caea.com.
e-search for the opera agreements
ouncillor, CPAG and Committee contact information
C
RRSP quarterly performance report
Online events calendar
Member Only zone (update contact information
online)
• Personal Information Policy
welcome NEW MEMBERS
Renee Abbott
Jesse MacLean
Kim Parkhill
Mylene Dinh-Robic
Breton Frazier
Tariq Leslie
Zinaid Memisevic
Jenny Mitchell
Tracy Neff
Stacie Steadman
Michael Tayles
Mark Biocca
Deanna Dys
Martin Lindinger
Alexandra MacDonald
Heather MacIsaac
James Baldwin
John Caird
Jason Collins
Sandra Piques Eddy
Atlantic
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Eastern Dance
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Alain Gauthier
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Mat Busby
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Milda Gecaite
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Quebec
Adele Gigantes
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Whitney-Leigh Sloan
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18 E quity Q uarterly
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w i n ter 2 0 0 8