Ruth Howard (artist)
Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities [1] and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement".[2] She is currently the Artistic Director of Jumblies Theatre, a company she founded in 2001.
Early work
Howard worked for many years as a professional theatre designer, as well as with various forms of popular and participatory arts and theatre.
In 1991, Howard was invited by Dale Hamilton to be a designer for the Spirit of Shivaree in Rockwood, Ontario. This introduction to the community play form was a life-changing experience that has inspired the course and nature of her work ever since.
Since then, Howard designed community plays in Blyth, Ontario; Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan; Enderby, British Columbia; and Torbay, England and Manchester, England. At the same time Howard began to produce and create her own theatre events: initially in school communities, but growing in size and complexity, until the production of South Riverdale’s Twisted Metal and Mermaids Tears (2000), a large-scale piece interweaving fantasy and oral history in English, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Jumblies Theatre
Following the success of these projects, Howard founded Jumblies Theatre in 2001 to support what had evolved as an approach of establishing multi-year residencies in urban communities leading to large-scale, participatory, performance pieces. These pieces were adapted from, but retaining many of the guiding principles of the Community Play model.
Jumblies Theatre has had projects such as:
- Lawrence Heights-ending with a production called I’m Tapingi Too!;
- Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre- a four year residency involving several large events, and culminating in Once A Shoreline in May 2004, a music-driven theatrical work composed by Wende Bartley, integrating professional performers, singers and musicians, community choirs and local people of all ages and backgrounds[1]
- Etobicoke- in connection with Montgomery's Inn and TCHC culminating with a production of "Bridge of One Hair" at the Harbourfront Centre as part of the Worlds Stage in 2007 with music by Alice Ho and poetry by Hawa Jabril and Duke Redbird.
- Scarborough ON (currently) at Cedar Ridge Creative Centre.[3]
Publications
- Easy to Say: Reflections on the roles of art and the artist in Canadian adaptations of the Colway Community Play form funded by Canada Council for the Arts, Co-written with Rachael Van Fossen, Jan 2005
- Produced short video on Once A Shoreline process as part of Documenting Engagement Vancouver, Jan. 2004
- The Cultural Equivalent of Daycare? , funded by In Print Dialogue, Community Arts Ontario, 2004
- The Aesthetics of Including Everyone Alt Theatre, Fall 2002.
- Holding On and Letting Go: Designing the Community Play Canadian Theatre Review, spring 1997
Education
Family
Howard's family is integral to the work she does for Jumblies. She and Steve Cooper, her partner of twenty-five years, have three children: Shifra, Helah, and Eli . All are active participants in her projects and contributors to Jumblies Theatre.
Professional affiliations
- Associated Designers of Canada (Board Member 1990 to 1993)
- Common Weal (Founding Board Member 1992 to 1994)
- Jumblies Theatre (Founder and Artistic Director 2001 to present)
- Community Arts Ontario (Board Member 2003 to 2005)
- Shadowland Theatre (Board Member, 2005 to present)
- Canadian Oral History Society Member
- Advisory Council Member for York University’s Community Art Program (2005 to present)
- Consultant for AGO Arts Access/ Collection X Project (2005 to present)
- Toronto Community Foundation, "Vital People" award, 2005
- Nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Costume Design for Bridge of One Hair 2007
References
External links
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