Berto_Tony_201307_PhD .pdf - University of Guelph

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study as "project-based theatres" (This is not to be confused with project-based funding, a
term used to classify form of arts grants). Their past history of critical success often
determines their access to funds from various arts councils. Councils further require these
companies to maintain levels of professionalism in their hiring of cast and crew in order to
be eligible for funding. Conrad Alexandrowicz's Beggars Would Ride was produced by his
company Wild Excursions as a rental production in a publicly-owned, 240 seat facility The
Waterfront Theatre.
The term fringe refers to work that operates at the edges of the theatre industry.
While the term fringe can imply the financial, dramaturgical or material considerations (or a
combination of all three) of a production's alterity, the phrase is used primarily here to refer
to a low level of financial investment. Funding for fringe theatre often consists of the
available resources or credit of the production team. This financial arrangement affects
production in a variety of ways. Mounting previously successful, contemporary works from
other markets in Canada or elsewhere usually requires paying royalties to the play's original
creator; and the ability to pay royalties is usually precluded by most fringe productions'
budgets. As a result, the majority of fringe theatre in Canada has the playwright(s) or
creator(s) as part of the production team. Fringe theatre may use amateur artists or may
involve theatre professionals and pay union scale; however most unions also allow for
waivers, exceptions and alternative co-operative agreements for theatre professionals to be
able to do fringe work when potential funding may not allow union rates (Canadian Actors
Equity). Lastly, fringe theatre is not normally adjudicated by boards, councils or production
facilities. Fringe theatre can exist anywhere, and its audience usually reflects its location
and the public discourse of the production. Grignard's The Orchard Drive was mounted as a