Canadian Futurism: An Invitation For Imaginative Art

We at Modern Times Stage Company  are committed to exploring, imagining and creating exciting, radical, performing arts, while empowering voices that have been historically and presently marginalized. We are an organization that creates original Canadian art, re-imagines classic work, and adapts plays in different languages and contexts to bring holistic and innovative forms to our contemporary and diverse Canadian audiences. We have been nominated for 60+ Dora Awards in our 31 years of existence, and are coming off the heels of the smash hit, The House of Bernarda Alba, co-produced with Aluna Theatre, and are soon opening Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo with Crow’s Theatre, directed by our Artistic Director, Rouvan Silogix.

Both founding Artistic Director Soheil Parsa, and present Artistic Director Rouvan Silogix are immigrants to Canada, and retain strong notions of humanism in their artistic practice. Indeed, as an organization comprised of diverse leadership, we refuse identities thrust upon us, particularly those created within colonialist heteronormative societal frameworks. More than anything, we explore the freedom to discover, inspire, and create our own identities. In this way we also don’t define who an ’immigrant’ is, or what generation such experience entails. Experiences are unique, and anyone who identifies as an immigrant will find Modern Times a theatre built by them and for them.

When we look at Canadian Futurism, we see ourselves – a new identity of Canadian art, told through a plurality of voices, exploring radical ideas old and new. Our art-making is similar; we are interested in artistic form, things we’ve never seen before, or familiar ideas told to us in novel ways and make us reconsider what we thought we knew. Our humanistic approach extends in similar fashion; beyond our core priority groups. We would love to hear from any artist, engager, community or organization who sees their work as formalistically progressive, piercingly imaginative, or radically commenting, exploring, and/or questioning ideas within our sociopolitical discourse.

There are numerous direct opportunities to engage with us – and as such we present an Open Invitation to artists, creators, arts workers, marketers, producers, administrators, fundraisers, and leaders to engage with Modern Times in the ways outlined below. We are interested in hearing from folks from Immigrant, Persian, Desi, Middle-Eastern, IBPOC, LGBTQ+ and mixed-race communities. We would like to hear from anyone with a radical idea, an artistic, community-based business, or is deeply engaged with our practice at Modern Times.

We want to bring you with us, and get to know you!

If what you have read here has resonated with you, if there is a spirit in your heart, then please engage with us through the avenues below!

* Writers & Creators: Our Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Recommender Grants For Theatre Creators (RGTC) is the primary way through which we support and connect with creators new to the company. We strongly encourage all creators from our priority groups to apply to us. We often engage creators in different ways other than these grants, and it is a great way for us to engage with some of your work. If you have any questions about our RGTC priorities please e-mail Mahsa Ershadifar, Associate Artist & Producer at [email protected].

If you are a creator from one of our priority groups, and/or have a piece at a later development stage (creative or production), be encouraged to write to us at [email protected] with a one page letter maximum briefly outlining the project, it’s development stage, and how you imagine Modern Times could best be a partner. Please SUBJECT your e-mail “SUBMISSION: PROJECT NAME”

* Actors & Performers: We audition on a project-by-project basis, and conduct yearly General Auditions. Sign up for our e-newsletter, and follow our socials to stay in touch regarding these opportunities.

* Producers, Administrators, Marketing & Development Folk: Be encouraged to write to us at [email protected] at any time – we are constantly on the lookout for exciting talent and would love to hear from you.

* Business & Community: Be encouraged to write to Steph Crothers, Artistic Producer & Company Manager at [email protected] at any time – we are always interested in exciting new opportunities, and different ways in which we can aid in developing our organization, community, and sector.

We can’t promise to get back to every inquiry and request in a timely fashion, but we do promise to go through every incoming request. We thank you for continuing to support Modern Times, and our shared community.