Those of you who are regular readers of Steel Banana’s Theatre & Lifestyle section are aware of my admiration for the local festival circuit, as well as my high expectations for its role in advancing the state of contemporary Canadian theatre. These festivals bring together artists from all over the country, expose shows to audiences who would otherwise not have the opportunity to see them, and give emerging artists the chance to stage their work effectively. This system does seem to beg the question, however, “what happens when the festival is over?” I’m sure every director or producer involved in the Fringe or the Summerworks festival dreams of that off-Broadway producer stopping them in the hall after the show and offering them a New York run, a run that will make them rich and successful. This, however, almost never happens and the companies are left to their own devices, to further self-produce their show or begin work on a new piece.

It may seem counter-productive to simply cut these companies loose once the festival is complete; after all, shouldn’t there exist a support system to aid the most successful shows in development and restaging their work? Of course there should be, and for participants in the Toronto Fringe Festival, there is. Enter the Next Stage Festival, on stage at the Factory Theatre from January 6-17, 2010.

Since its inception in 2007, the Next Stage Festival has been devoted to taking some of the most successful works of the previous summer`s Fringe festival and giving them an opportunity to restage their work after further revision and rehearsal. To me, this is a key aspect of what the development of Canadian theatre must be: a trial and-error basis for the most promising new works. The workshopping of new material and the presentation of these drafts to varying audiences is parliament to the creative process and the finding of the Canadian voice.

Over the last two seasons the number of attendees of the Next Stage Festival has risen drastically, an encouraging statistic for Toronto theatre practitioners. For the audience, it is another chance to catch that Fringe show that you missed in the summer, or a chance to see for a second time a show that made an impression. With individual tickets no more than $15 and multi-ticket discount packages available, it is also an extremely affordable way to experience a multitude of theatre in just a few days.

This affordability and availability is something that some major theatres lack; they frequently run only one or two performances at a time for weeks at a time. There are currently eight shows running in rep between the Factory Mainspace and Studio Theatres and most only an hour apart, making it easy for an audience to see multiple shows in one day. The McAuslin Heated Beer Tent is a comfortable and social way to pass the time between shows, affording the opportunity to discuss the work and possibly meet the artists involved.

Nowhere is the true community nature of the Canadian theatre felt than at the theatre festival. My short time in the ticket line gave me the chance to see at least a dozen reunions of old friends, mostly artists who were working on the shows. What we need is to get the word about these festivals out to a more general public. Artists supporting artists is obviously vital for the survival of our industry, but so is the inclusion of a new audience. Despite the increase in audience attendance and the size of the box office line up last Friday night, the potential for second-time-around festivals such as Next Stage is vast. Only a fraction of the audience of the Toronto Fringe actually attend Next Stage, so we must find a way to get new patrons interested in seeing the revised work. Then perhaps the development process will be nurtured and more plays will be given the chance to see a second run to a wider audience, to even greater success.

Next Stage is currently on stage at the Factory Theatre Mainspace and Studio Theatre, until January 17th. Tickets are $12 for afternoon performance (before 6pm) and $15 for evening performances.

Performances include:

BURIED by Tessa King – A dysfunctional family deals with the death of a wife and mother.

GAS by Jason Maghanoy – A revealing look at American soldiers defending gasoline in Iraq.

ICARUS REDUX by Sean O’Neill– A father, grieving over the loss of his wife, finds a way to connect with his son – and make him fly.

JUST EAST OF BROADWAY by Nicholas Hune-Brown and Ben King – A Hollywood has-been attempts to revive his career by breaking to the Chinese musical scene.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON? SORRY. by Chris Gibbs – A one-man show
exploring the experience of new fatherhood.

THE MAKING OF ST. JEROME by Marie Beath Badian – A young man explores his brother’s brutal murder; based on the true events in Toronto in 2004.

THE RED QUEEN EFFECT by Seventh Stage Theatre Productions – A collectively devised piece about the corporate glass ceiling – and how to break through.

QUITE FRANKLY by Justin Sage-Passant – A solo piece about one socially inept man and his mother.