Posted on: November 9th, 2024 by KW Musical Productions
Creative Call Announcement
KWMP is seeking a creative team to help bring our concert version of The Sound of Music to life!
In Concert Intent
KWMP’s concert format has proven to be a winning combination for both audience appeal and cast participation, as performers appreciate a shorter and less demanding rehearsal period.
The Sound of Music is a traditional musical that uses both music and dialogue to tell its beloved story. KWMP will present this tale through dialogue, music, and movement, all grounded in a concert format. This means that participants will primarily stand and sing, bridging music, dialogue, and movement in an engaging yet structured manner that upholds and stays true to the concert format.
While there are no scenic elements and lighting is limited to a generic bright wash, costumes may enhance both the presentation and audience appeal, as well as the production value.
Finally, this title is particularly synonymous with movement and dance, and we encourage exploration of these elements throughout the performance, bringing to life the joyous and memorable moments that The Sound of Music is known for.
Together, these elements will create a powerful concert version of one of the most beloved musicals in the world.
Available Positions
We are looking for the following roles:
Musical Director
Director
Choreographer
Stage/Production Manager
Costume Coordinator
Technical Coordinator/Sound Operator
Hair and Make-up Coordinator
Assistant Stage Manager
Rehearsal Pianist
How to Apply
For full details in regards to the Creative Call and each positions’ roles and responsibilities please read the Creative Call document carefully. Once you are ready to apply, please use the Creative Call Form.
Posted on: April 30th, 2024 by KW Musical Productions
On April 23, 2024, KWMP and the KW Arts Community in general lost a long-time and cherished member, volunteer and advocate in Gary Shantz. Gary, known most widely as the best usher around, loved the arts in all its forms and participated behind the scenes at productions, as an audience member and as a board member for multiple organizations throughout the Region. His impact on and love for this community is hard to measure but is felt by all who knew him.
To honour Gary’s legacy to KWMP and to the KW arts community as a whole, we are dedicating this run of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in his honour. We will miss you Gary!
Posted on: April 23rd, 2022 by KW Musical Productions
On Sunday, June 5 in the afternoon, come listen to some great performers sing, play, and make music at the KWMP hall! And what Coffeehouse would be complete without coffee, drinks, and other delicious treats? We will have those too!
We have 16 great performers who are ready to entertain!
Date: June 5, 2022 Time: 12 – 4pm (Doors open at 12, music starts at 12:30 Location: KWMP Hall
As the Omicron variant cases increase and the winter is upon us, experts are predicting another Covid wave which will likely impact the callback and rehearsal schedule for 13 the Musical.
We appreciate that many may be hesitant to audition given the uncertainty, so we wanted to help alleviate concerns with regards to restrictions, mandates and protocols that may come into effect prior or during the production of 13 the Musical, and how we intend to navigate those situations.
First and foremost, our commitment to keeping our performers, creative team and their families safe is our number one priority.
As a result, we may amend call backs and/or early rehearsals in order to comply with any provincial mandates. That said, given that the cast of 13 is small and can be accommodated safely (along with our creative team) with appropriate social distancing within our rehearsal spaces, WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC!
We have also developed stringent Covid protocols over the past year in conjunction with the provincial mandates and have been implementing those protocols throughout the past 6 months as renters and our partners have been using the space. If you would like more on our covid protocols, please see bit.ly/KWMPCovidPlan
If anything should change with regards to call backs or rehearsals, our production team for 13 the Musical will be in touch with all performers involved, and will work to develop a plan where all performers, parents and creative team feel safe.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our Vice-president, and the production manager of 13 the Musical (who is also a paramedic and extremely versed on Covid protocol and prevention measures) Tim Pagett
In the meantime, KEEP THE AUDITIONS COMING, stay safe, and happy holidays!
We are looking for a Stage Manager and Sound Technician!
For information on what each of these roles entail, please click here.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL: Monday, January 3, 2022
Pertinent Dates:
First Rehearsal: Sunday January 16th, 2022
Rehearsals: Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons/evenings – Dates TBD
Performances: Friday April 1, & Saturday April 2, 2022
Performance Space: Knox Presbyterian Church
Special Note:
All creative and production team members, along with all cast and crew, will be required to provide proof of vaccination against Covid-19 or authorized medical exemption. Cast and crew must be 12 and over.
You’re invited to join us at the KWMP 2021 AGM, this coming November 21. It will be online via zoom at 2:00 p.m.
Online Via Zoom — Meeting ID: 921 9000 3052 Passcode: 298837 Meeting Link: Click Here Meeting Phone Number: 1-855-703-8985
At the meeting, we will share what KWMP has been working on for the past year, answer your questions, collect your feedback, and elect a new Board of Directors.
Members may vote either in person or by proxy by one of the following: Download: Proxy Form Mail: 14 Shaftsbury Ave, Kitchener, ON, N2A 1N5 Scan & Email: info@kwmp.ca E-Proxy Form: Click Here Agenda and Links to 2021 Reports: Click Here
To RSVP for the AGM, or to assign your proxy, please click here.
There are several positions on the board open for election. If you are interested in joining the KWMP Board or any of its committees, please click here.
Please also consider joining the Facebook Event for this meeting, by clicking here.
There is a real need for affordable rehearsal and performance space in Waterloo Region. This need has been documented in countless reports by all levels of Government and the local performing arts community. This need has only increased due to COVID-19, as spaces that performing arts groups have come to rely on have closed their doors, stopped renting or increased rents.
KWMP owns and operates the KWMP Community Arts Centre which is located at 14 Shaftsbury Drive in Kitchener (close to Ottawa St. N. and Lackner Blvd). The building was opened in 1925 as Natchez School, School Section No. 6 before it was purchased by KWMP in 1964 from the School Board of the Township of Waterloo. A large addition was added in 1980, creating 3 separate rehearsal spaces big enough to simulate any of the local performance venues (Centre in the Square, Conrad Centre, The Registry Theatre, etc.). The KWMP Community Arts Centre also features a costume shop, an extensive workshop for set building, and storage for costumes, sets and props.
“One of KWMP’s core values is to support the local performing arts community, and over the years we’ve worked hard to provide an affordable community arts space,” says Past President of KWMP Brenden Sherratt. “This funding will provide hundreds of hours of performing and rehearsal space to the arts community, will significantly decrease the costs that many groups incur, and ultimately help these organizations recover quicker from COVID-19.” Sherratt also notes that the organization is hoping to continue the program in years beyond the pandemic recovery period if funding can be secured.
Before COVID-19, KWMP Community Arts Centre was used for rehearsals, smaller theatre productions, workshops, film or photoshoots, jam sessions and concerts. In addition to being the hub for the development and rehearsal for KWMP productions, the spaces have been used by dozens of local arts groups, independent film crews, and more.
Local performing arts organizations wishing to take advantage of the Pay-What-You-Can rental initiative for the KWMP Community Arts Centre can view criteria and submit a rental request through the KWMP website at www.KWMP.ca/rehearsal-space.
Posted on: October 23rd, 2020 by KW Musical Productions
KWMP members are invited to our online Annual General Meeting, on November 22 at 4 pm.
At the meeting, we will share what KWMP has been working on for the past year, answer your questions, collect your feedback, and elect a new Board of Directors.
Due to the unprecedented global pandemic, the KWMP Board of Directors has approved a motion to temporarily eliminate the $25 membership fee for the 2020-2021 season.
Members may vote either in person or by proxy by one of the following: Download: Proxy Form Mail: 14 Shaftsbury Ave, Kitchener, ON, N2A 1N5 Scan & Email: info@kwmp.ca E-Proxy Form: Click Here
In 2018, the KWMP membership approved a by-law amendment to move our year-end to June 30, to be more in line with our season. This is also in line with our membership period which is from July 1 to June 30 of each year. This presents a challenge, as the majority of our members do not renew their membership on July 1st, and instead renew or become members when they start production of one of our shows.
In order to ensure we are representing the KWMP membership, and have quorum at the AGM, we have proposed a motion that would extend the membership period to the end of the AGM of that fiscal year.
Motion 1. Motion to amend section 24 of the K-W Musical Productions By-Laws from: “The membership period is July 1st to June 30th of each year,” to “The membership period is July 1 to the end of AGM of that fiscal year.”
When we started production of Addams Family the Musical over a year ago, we had a clear plan for how the show would come together. Unfortunately, COVID-19 had other ideas. Since we put the production on hold in March, a lot has changed in the world. We have been watching the developments of this pandemic closely and have been deferring to Health Canada and other authorities for guidance on how to proceed. As you probably know, singing represents a higher risk of spread of the virus. Based on what the experts are saying in the best-case scenario, we would not be able to safely get back together until May, a date that may change, and we would still need 2-3 months of rehearsal to put the show together.
Our original plan for Addams Family the Musical was clear; we knew when, where and how we would put this production together. Despite all our hard work, forces beyond our control have continually altered that plan. It doesn’t seem reasonable to expect that a cast and crew would stay committed to a show when we do not know when, where and how the show can be safely staged.
The KWMP Board of Directors has made the hard decision to end our production of Addams Family the Musical and release the cast and crew from their commitment to the show.
On behalf of the K-W Musical Productions’ Board of Directors, I wanted to thank our cast and crew for their hard work on this production. We are incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish together and look forward to working with you again in the future.
We will continue to explore other options of how we can produce shows safely in a post COVID world, with the goal of producing a show in the Summer or Fall of 2021. In the meantime, we are working hard to implement the Your KWMP Action Plan.
Our Current Financial Situation
KWMP and the whole Performing Arts Community is facing unprecedented financial challenges. We are unable to produce shows or rent our building out for the foreseeable future.
We are working to reduce costs and apply for any appropriate funding opportunities. We have a healthy reserve fund and no outstanding debts. We are confident it will help us weather these challenging times.
Your KWMP Action Plan Update
Over the summer of 2019, the K-W Musical Productions Board of Directors engaged the KWMP membership and members of the local arts community with a series of surveys, focus groups and conversations, to help our organization evolve and represent the dreams of our membership and community.
Over 200 people responded to our online survey, including current and past members, audience members, and community supporters.
The Board of Directors hired Lynda Abshoff to facilitate group discussions with 40 members, who in small groups shared their thoughts, ideas and brainstormed what they thought the future of KWMP should look like.
Members of the KWMP Board of Directors have met with representatives of dozens of performing arts organizations, community members, city and regional staff and local politicians.
Based on these conversations, we have identified four themes that included:
The KWMP Board of Directors has been working for the past year and a half to implement the plan’s priorities. Our efforts have been significantly hampered by the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, we are still making progress on several themes:
Culture and Community
Community is core to KWMP’s mission. Every year we come together to produce high-quality community theatre. We do it because it is something we love; it brings people together, provides a creative outlet, and allows us to develop new skills.
Sometimes, when a show ends, that community is lost. We are working hard to provide opportunities to stay connected between shows through regular social events and training sessions. The events committee has adapted their plan to run more events out of our hall towards online events. We have hosted several virtual cabaret nights and a musical watch party.
We look forward to returning to in-person events next year.
If you would like to join the events committee, please email the Chair of our events committee, Gary Shantz, by clicking here.
Resources and Training
KWMP is a volunteer-run not-for-profit organization with limited resources. We are working towards bringing on additional resources, training and more diverse representation in our leadership team.
Artistic Vision
We look forward to getting past COVID-19 and returning to a place where we can produce two musicals per year.
KWMP is also working on expanding our reach, by partnering with other arts organizations to provide space and resources to produce additional content. For the past several years, we have partnered with Stage School to provide performing arts classes and camps for children and youth.
This year we also partnered with Agnew Acting Studio to produce a Livestream children’s production of Charlotte’s Web. We have also supported the work of a new original musical production and many others.
Rehearsal and Performance Space
There is a real need for affordable rehearsal and performance space in Waterloo Region. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, theatres were at capacity and turning groups away.
It has been difficult for us to find space to produce high-quality shows that you have come to expect from KWMP due to cost and lack of theatre space availability. KWMP is not alone in this, but we are in a unique position, as we own a building and have access to available capital.
KWMP has been actively exploring opportunities to increase the availability of affordable rehearsal and theatre space in Waterloo Region.
We can not do this alone and have been in talks with other performing arts groups, community members, community organizations, and both politicians and staff from all levels of government.
We are investigating large and small changes we could make to our current space at 14 Shaftsbury Drive in Kitchener and exploring partnerships with other organizations to bring together existing spaces and run them collaboratively or creating a brand new space.
It took the vision for the KWMP Board of Directions to purchase our building in 1964 and then add a significant addition in the 1980s. That vision has helped us produce over 100 musicals and provide rehearsal and production space for hundreds of productions, workshops, events over the years.
As KWMP and the local arts community continues to evolve, we are committed to honouring that vision and looking to the future. We believe that KWMP can act as a community leader and support a viable, sustainable plan to create additional affordable rehearsal and performance space, benefit not only KWMP but also the whole community.
Shaping the future of Your KWMP
KWMP is facing unprecedented challenges, we have an ambitious plan to move KWMP forward, but we need your help. We need our members to join a committee or join the Board of Directors and help shape the future of KWMP. In particular, we are looking for people with knowledge of one of the following areas: marketing, fundraising, finances, or theatre production.
