The Story
Standard Deviation Theatre was founded in December 2009 by six soon-to-be graduates of the University of Waterloo Department of Drama. Their goal was to create an environment where emerging artists can dare to create works of theatre that push the bounds of performance, dramaturgy, and technology. In their first season, they mounted 5 productions, consisting of 8 plays; including 3 brand new works of theatre, two adaptations of classic texts, and a variety of contemporary plays and modern classics. This blend of new and established work offers all artists the opportunity to create theatre, and to innovate it.
The Mandate
To provide emerging artists with the opportunity to create innovative and challenging works of theatre through the development and production of new and established plays.
The Mission
Standard Deviation Theatre’s mission is to create and produce innovative and challenging theatre. To this end, Standard Deviation puts a special emphasis on the role of the dramaturg in all productions, both new and established; whether serving as a coordinator of direction and design on established work, or guiding a writer and director through the workshop phase of a new play, the dramaturg’s role in the Standard Deviation process is invaluable.
This strong focus on dramaturgy allows Standard Deviation to occupy a vital space in the theatre; with one foot behind in the theatre’s past, and one foot forward in its future. Classical and contemporary established plays give us a crucial glimpse of where the theatre has been, and through innovative dramaturgy these plays gain new life as brand new productions that push the boundaries of direction, performance, and technology, and dare to challenge the audience to reconsider what they thought they knew about those plays and what those stories meant to them. Looking to the future, a focus on new play development, including staged readings, workshops, and one-on-one dramaturgy, ensures that there is always a new source of ideas, discussions, and stories, as well as the voices that tell them in the hope that one day they too can be re-imagined and innovated.
Finally, Standard Deviation Theatre provides a tremendous opportunity to emerging artists of all ages to become involved in the theatre and to explore paths that they had not considered. An open call for director-proposed submissions forms the pool from which the season of plays is selected; open auditions for most roles allow new groups of actors to get involved every year; and through performance workshops in alternative theatre styles, writing, stage combat, dance, etc., Standard Deviation Theatre provides a forum for experimentation and expansion for emerging artists.
The Vision
To create and nurture a mutual relationship with the community: a community that needs us as much as we need them.
