The Good Idea Initiative
Equity Showcase Theatre Presents
The Good Idea Initiative
Positioning Creative Projects for Realization and Success
Equity Showcase, Artistic & Executive Director, Kevin McCormick and the Board of Directors, headed by Siavash Kaszemian, President of the Board, are pleased to announce the "Good Ideas Initiative".
The Good Ideas Initiative is one of a number of projects being launched in honour of Equity Showcase Theatre's 60th Anniversary Celebration.
It also represents our return to the stage, presenting our own productions.
For many years, Equity Showcase presented theatrical showcases involving members of Canadian Actors Equity. The Showcase model was based on the American Equity Showcase concept whereby, members of CAEA could appear in Showcases without salary and before a non-paying audience. The concept provided artists with the opportunity to create and develop their abilities through showcase productions.
Over the last number of years, we have changed how we support showcasing professional artists. Those changes can be seen in our mentoring initiative for Indie theatre artists called the Mavericks and through our Cayle Award for artists creating new works and productions in media and in Theatre, and through our Art Club.
While we will continue those ways of helping to showcase artists we are looking forward to producing productions. Rather than returning to the former showcase model for CAEA members, we will be creating productions, with artists under regular CAEA contracts, where the artists are paid and benefits covered.
Equity Showcase is one of Canada's oldest not-for-profit and charitable arts organizations, with a mandate to invest in the artistic and cultural wealth of artists by embracing all artists and leading by developing, uniting, advocating for and empowering the arts community.
At Equity Showcase Theatre, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich in diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons. We believe in mutual respect and dignity and the worth of every person. We have a strong platform in our mandate to support female artists.
The mandate of the Good Idea Initiative is to position creative projects in the arts for realization and success.
The recipient of the Good Ideas Initiative is based on a variety of factors, including the strength and professional background of the creative team, the artistic merit of the project, prominent lead roles for women offered within the project, diverse and inclusive casting, the potential for the project to impact and educate an audience and its power to celebrate the human spirit, while uniting people behind a social concern, thus fostering awareness. It is our hope that the art created lives well beyond its initial actual execution and is woven into various aspects of our community.
Equity Showcase's, Good Idea Initiative, unites the creative, administrative, mentorship, leadership and funding resources, as a Champion Producer behind a creative project that has been selected as deserving of recognition and support.
In particular, a project that represents a story that needs to be told through the creation of a new work, and has potential and significant educational/awareness campaigns with outreach events that can be generated around it.