What Brought You Here?

I knew why I was here. I wanted to speak to the Participants and my fellow Director Intern about why they wanted to participate in the Program.

"I wanted to apply for the Program because I started theatre school when I was 17, and being 26 now I really wanted to reassess my toolkit and see what works and what doesn't anymore, or never did, and start fresh. I hoping to get out of it a lot of new tools, and make new connections with artists from across our amazing country. Being here now, it is a stunningly beautiful place, and everyone is amazing, and I am hoping to soak up all that good and become a better version of myself, both as an actor and in life." - Katie Ryerson

"I applied to the Program because it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to spend four weeks rediscovering the art of acting.  There were so many courses involved and I hadn't been at theatre school for a LONG time.  

I wanted to be able to study and learn and not feel judgmental about myself or my work and that is certainly what has transpired.  Well, at least, we are ENCOURAGED not to judge ourselves - a difficult task for any actor!  But it is a relief to know that you can fail at a task, and learn from it.  Very liberating!" - Robin Craig 

"I look at the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program as an absolutely invaluable opportunity and one from which I could benefit from every year for the rest of my life as an actor. It is focused, immersive, in-depth work collaborating with a group of very professional actors and under the guidance of mentors with incredible knowledge and experience. 

I hope to challenge myself, take risks, and push myself out of the zone I sit so comfortably in while at home. I hope, simply, to grow as an artist." - Madison Walsh

"Honestly, I almost didn't apply for the program. I was rehearsing Blithe Spirit at the Thousand Island's Playhouse and it was a five hour (or so) drive into Toronto for the audition on my day off and I thought "I'm gonna bust my ass and I'm probably not going to get this." Also, I had already auditioned for the program twice so I had good reason to believe that I wasn't going to get it!

Ultimately, (obviously) I did audition. I wanted the opportunity to train in an immersive way without distractions and I wanted to be in this production of Sense and Sensibility!

I wanted to become a better actor and I wanted to work with actors, directors and teachers that I've never worked with before." - Stephen Gartner

"I applied to the Program because I wanted to stretch myself more as an actor, and I felt I needed a deeper look at technique and the structure of being an actor, and that can be hard to find. I wanted to have a better understanding of how my instrument  - my actor's body- worked, and how I could tweak things to find a more effective process. 

I hope that by the end of the program, I'll have a set of tools and pieces that I feel I can pull out without fear, and to cultivate an ownership of space for myself and my characters." - Emily McCourt

"I grew up in Edmonton as a patron of the Citadel Theatre, constantly floored by the quality of acting, the engaging storytelling, and the technical mastery of the productions they put on. Now, as a budding actor with some education and experience under my belt, this program stood out as a familiar choice, one that would bring me close to the inner workings and minds behind shows that energized and inspired me in my younger years. 

I'm just looking to become a better, more hire-able, more real actor." - Adam Sanders

"I wanted to challenge myself and my creation process by examining traditional approaches to theatre, improve my ability to communicate with creative collaborators, expand the tools and vocabulary I rely on to create, as well as better understand the current power structures in Canadian regional theatres." - Beth Dart, Intern Director (Peter and the Starcatcher)

"I wanted to apply to this program because I had a chance to do it two years ago and it was absolutely invaluable to me. It is truly a one of a kind experience."- Julia Guy

(Julia was a Participant in the Program in 2015 and was Thomasina in Arcadia at the Citadel)