Jumblies Theatre
Encyclopedia
Jumblies Theatre is a Community Arts
Theatre
Company with the over all concept of social
inclusion
.
, Ruth Howard
. Ruth’s work is inspired by the British Community Play
form, pioneered by the Colway Theatre Trust, and brought to Canada
in the 1990s by Dale Hamilton.
In bringing the community play
to Toronto
, Ruth Howard
and Jumblies Theatre, created the necessity to adapt the form to an urban community
. The new format focus’s on multiculturalism
, engaging newcomers, and working with public housing
residents. The company also maintains community art
s’ guiding principles of inclusive community
engagement, a value that ‘everyone is welcome’, along with a focus on artistic quality and respect for process and product.
it works in, along with 20 to 30 professional artist
s from a range of disciplines and cultural traditions. Toronto
residency neighbourhoods to date include South Riverdale
, Lawrence Heights
, Davenport-Perth and Central Etobicoke
, Scarborough
.
(2001) Project Partners: South Riverdale Community Health Centre, WoodGreen Community Centre, Ralph Thornton Centre, Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Park, Queen Street East Presbyterian Church, Riverdale Community Business Centre, WoodGreen United Church
Arts4All
(2001-2009) Offshoot project 2007-current) Project Partners: Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, the STOP Community Food Centre, Pelham Park (TCHC), Davenport Perth United Church
MABELLE arts (2004-2008) Off shoot company (2008- current) Project Partners: Montgomery's Inn
(City of Toronto Culture Division), Toronto Community Housing Corporation
, Madbakh, Islington Junior Middle School, Mabelle Community Action Committee
Naivelt
(2006- 2009) Project Partners: United Jewish Peoples Order, Morris Winchevsky
Centre
Jumblies Studio (2007-2009) Project Partners: Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, Ontario Trillium Foundation
, George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
Scarborough Project
(2008- present) Project Partners: Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, East Scarborough Storefront, Toronto Community Housing Corporation
, Ontario Trillium Foundation
, George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation,
2000 South Riverdale CHC, Citizen of the Year (Ruth Howard
)
2002 Community Arts Ontario, Best Practices for More or the Magic Fish
2004 Toronto Urban Institute, Urban Leadership Award Nomination
2005 Toronto Community Foundation, Vital People Award (Ruth Howard)
2005 Fresh Ground Commission, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2007 Great Grants Award, Ontario Trillium Foundation
2007 nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award
for Outstanding Costume Design for Bridge of One Hair
2007 participant in the New World Stage Festival, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2008 Toronto Community Foundation, Vital Ideas Grant
Community art
Community Art could be loosely defined as a way of creating art in which professional artists collaborate more or less intensively with people who don't normally actively engage in the arts. Community arts, also sometimes known as "dialogical art", "community-engaged" or "community-based art,"...
Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
Company with the over all concept of social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
inclusion
Inclusion (value and practice)
Miller and Katz presents a common definition of an inclusive value system where they say, “Inclusion is a sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so than you can do your best work.” Inclusion is a shift in...
.
Origins
Jumblies Theatre was founded in 2001 by its Artistic DirectorArtistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
, Ruth Howard
Ruth Howard (artist)
Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
. Ruth’s work is inspired by the British Community Play
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
form, pioneered by the Colway Theatre Trust, and brought to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the 1990s by Dale Hamilton.
In bringing the community play
Community theatre
Community theatre refers to theatrical performance made in relation to particular communities—its usage includes theatre made by, with, and for a community...
to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ruth Howard
Ruth Howard (artist)
Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
and Jumblies Theatre, created the necessity to adapt the form to an urban community
Urban culture
Urban culture is the culture of towns and cities. In the United States, Urban culture may also sometimes be used as a euphemistic reference to contemporary African American culture.- African American culture :...
. The new format focus’s on multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
, engaging newcomers, and working with public housing
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
residents. The company also maintains community art
Community art
Community Art could be loosely defined as a way of creating art in which professional artists collaborate more or less intensively with people who don't normally actively engage in the arts. Community arts, also sometimes known as "dialogical art", "community-engaged" or "community-based art,"...
s’ guiding principles of inclusive community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
engagement, a value that ‘everyone is welcome’, along with a focus on artistic quality and respect for process and product.
Residencies
Jumblies Theatre creates residency projects, which typically involve over 300 community participants from each communityCommunity
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
it works in, along with 20 to 30 professional artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
s from a range of disciplines and cultural traditions. Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
residency neighbourhoods to date include South Riverdale
Riverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
, Lawrence Heights
Lawrence Heights
Lawrence Heights is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located north-west of central Toronto, in the district of North York. The neighbourhood is bounded by Lawrence Avenue to the south, Highway 401 to the north, Allen Road to the east and Dufferin Street to the west...
, Davenport-Perth and Central Etobicoke
Etobicoke, Ontario
Etobicoke is a dissolved municipality located within the current city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the western section of the current city, it had an official population of 338,117 as measured by the 2001 Census and 334,491 people as of the 2006 Census. While it only contains 13% of...
, Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
.
Projects
South RiverdaleRiverdale, Toronto
Riverdale is a large neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is bounded by the Don River Valley to the west, Danforth Avenue and Greektown to the north, Jones Avenue, the CN/GO tracks, and Leslieville to the east, and Lake Shore Boulevard to the south....
(2001) Project Partners: South Riverdale Community Health Centre, WoodGreen Community Centre, Ralph Thornton Centre, Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Park, Queen Street East Presbyterian Church, Riverdale Community Business Centre, WoodGreen United Church
Arts4All
Davenport (electoral district)
Davenport is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1935. Its population in 2001 was 111,705.-Geography:...
(2001-2009) Offshoot project 2007-current) Project Partners: Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, the STOP Community Food Centre, Pelham Park (TCHC), Davenport Perth United Church
MABELLE arts (2004-2008) Off shoot company (2008- current) Project Partners: Montgomery's Inn
Montgomery's Inn
Montgomery's Inn is a historic home and inn in the Islington neighbourhood of Etobicoke in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Built in 1832 in a Georgian style with later additions, the inn has been restored to an 1847 period, and operates as a museum of the City of Toronto. Once in danger of...
(City of Toronto Culture Division), Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Toronto Community Housing Corporation is a public housing agency in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is the second-largest housing provider in North America. TCHC is the amalgamation of three housing organizations in Toronto following the downloading of housing to municipalities by the provincial...
, Madbakh, Islington Junior Middle School, Mabelle Community Action Committee
Naivelt
Camp Naivelt
Camp Naivelt is located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It originated as a children's camp, evolved into a family camp and remains in operation as a left-wing, secular Jewish camping community.-Early years:...
(2006- 2009) Project Partners: United Jewish Peoples Order, Morris Winchevsky
Morris Winchevsky
Morris Winchevsky Morris Winchevsky Morris Winchevsky (Leopold Benzion Novokhovitch; Pseudonym: Ben Netz (Hebrew: 'Son of Hawk'; 1856–1932) was a prominent Jewish socialist leader in London and the United States in the late 19th century....
Centre
Jumblies Studio (2007-2009) Project Partners: Davenport Perth Neighbourhood Centre, Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
, George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
- Launched in 2007 as a training and mentorshipMentorshipMentorship refers to a personal developmental relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps a less experienced or less knowledgeable person....
program. Through the program, artists participate in workshops, learning sessions and apprenticeshipApprenticeshipApprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
opportunities in community artCommunity artCommunity Art could be loosely defined as a way of creating art in which professional artists collaborate more or less intensively with people who don't normally actively engage in the arts. Community arts, also sometimes known as "dialogical art", "community-engaged" or "community-based art,"...
s.
Scarborough Project
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
(2008- present) Project Partners: Cedar Ridge Studio Gallery, East Scarborough Storefront, Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Toronto Community Housing Corporation is a public housing agency in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is the second-largest housing provider in North America. TCHC is the amalgamation of three housing organizations in Toronto following the downloading of housing to municipalities by the provincial...
, Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
, George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation,
Productions
- Twisted Metal and Mermaids Tears (2000)
- I’m Taipingi Too! (2001)
- More or the Magic Fish (2002)
- The Land of Three Doors (2003)
- Once A Shoreline (2004)
- Your Name is Written in the Sky (2005)
- Where I’m From (2005)
- Tea and Bridges (2006)
- Bridge of One Hair (2007)
- Hawa Jabril Book Launch (2007)
- Pidgeon Creek Pageant (2008)
- Oy di velt vet vern yinger (Oh, the world will grow younger) (2008)
- Remount of Oy di velt vet vern yinger (2009)
- Nesting (2009)
Awards and honors
2000 Our Millennium Award for South Riverdale Lives and Legends2000 South Riverdale CHC, Citizen of the Year (Ruth Howard
Ruth Howard (artist)
Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
)
2002 Community Arts Ontario, Best Practices for More or the Magic Fish
2004 Toronto Urban Institute, Urban Leadership Award Nomination
2005 Toronto Community Foundation, Vital People Award (Ruth Howard)
2005 Fresh Ground Commission, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2007 Great Grants Award, Ontario Trillium Foundation
Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation , is an agency of the government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading grantmaking foundations. It was created in 1982...
2007 nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award
Dora Mavor Moore Award
The Dora Mavor Moore Award is an award presented annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts which honours theatre, dance, and opera productions in Toronto. Named after Dora Mavor Moore, who helped establish Canadian professional theatre, the award was established on December 13, 1978...
for Outstanding Costume Design for Bridge of One Hair
2007 participant in the New World Stage Festival, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
2008 Toronto Community Foundation, Vital Ideas Grant
Further reading
- Jumblies Poem by Edward Lear
- 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 and Ruth HowardRuth Howard (artist)Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
, Jan 2005 - Produced short video on Once A Shoreline process as part of Documenting Engagement Vancouver, by Ruth HowardRuth Howard (artist)Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
Jan. 2004 - The Cultural Equivalent of Daycare?, written by Ruth Howard, funded by In Print Dialogue, Community Arts Ontario, 2004
- The Aesthetics of Including Everyone, written by Ruth Howard, Alt Theatre, Fall 2002.
See also
- Community artCommunity artCommunity Art could be loosely defined as a way of creating art in which professional artists collaborate more or less intensively with people who don't normally actively engage in the arts. Community arts, also sometimes known as "dialogical art", "community-engaged" or "community-based art,"...
- Community TheatreCommunity TheatreCommunity Theatre or Community Theater may refer to:*Community theatre, the putting on of generally amateur theatre productionsIn the United States:...
- Ruth HowardRuth Howard (artist)Ruth Howard is a Canadian artist who creates large-scale arts and theatre projects with urban communities and has been called "a key figure in the Canadian Community Play movement"...
- Ann JellicoeAnn JellicoeAnn Jellicoe is a British actor, theatre director and playwright. Although her work has covered many areas of theatre and film, she is best known for "pushing the envelope" of the stage play, devising new forms which challenge and delight unconventional audiences...
- Founder of The Colway Trust