1:30 PM March 9, 2023
Maja Prentice Theatre
Presenter's Panel
What does it take to sell a puppet show to a festival? Learn how the top presenters in Canada select shows for their performances.
Learn how the top presenters in Canada select shows for their performances.
About The Event
- What theatre festivals exist in Canada and what kind of shows do they present?
- How do I get my show presented at a puppetry festival?
- What are specific requirements for puppetry shows to be considered at a Festival?
Meet The Panelists
Louise Lapointe
Artistic Director of Casteliers Festival
Louise Lapointe holds a degree in Visual Arts from Laval University in Quebec City and one in Theater (Technical Production) from the Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto. She worked at the Conservatory of Dramatic Arts in Montreal from 1988 to 2012, as a stage technician, props, set designer and mask maker.
In 2005, Louise founded and directs since CASTELIERS, devoted to the presentation of the arts of the puppetry in Montreal. Casteliers supports creation through programming an annual international festival and a regular season, hosting artist residencies and offering cultural education activities. CASTELIERS is the also the founder of the Maison internationale des arts de la marionnette (MIAM) in Montreal.
Involved for more than 30 years in puppetry at home and abroad, Louise is member of the Executive Committee of UNIMA (Union internationale de la marionnette) and Chair of the International Festivals Commission. In 2022, Louise received the tilte of Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres de la République Française.
Iris Nemani
Chief Programming Officer of Harbourfront Centre
Iris Nemani is Harbourfront Centre’s Chief Programming Officer responsible for overseeing and delivering Harbourfront Centre’s diverse arts, culture and educational programs. She has worked in the arts and culture sector for almost 30 years, bringing her expertise and leadership to a variety of arts organizations. In 2015, she was the Managing Director of PANAMANIA, the arts and culture program of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, a 35 day multidisciplinary cultural festival that took place across Toronto. In addition, she was General Manager of the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in the Historic Distillery District, and has held senior positions at Dancap Productions Inc. producing various megamusicals including Jersey Boys and Livent Inc with its productions of Showboat, Ragtime and Phantom of the Opera among others.
Ronnie Brown
Coordinator of Marketing & Programming at Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
Ronnie’s career revolves around the love of writing and performing arts. A graduate of the University of Toronto in Drama & English, Ronnie has spent eight years with internationally acclaimed touring puppet theatre company Famous People Players as performer and assistant director. Another eight years as a touring stand-up comic and the past twenty-three years as Coordinator of Marketing & Programming at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.
Meet The Host
Alexa Fraser
Puppeteer and puppet builder
Alexa Fraser is multi disciplinary artist from St.Catharines, Ontario. With a B.Des in Fashion Design from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Alexa has displayed textile and installation art in many solo and group exhibits, designs and builds costumes for theatre, makes and performs puppets and teaches puppet making and performance workshops and camps. Alexa was thrilled to start teaching Wardrobe and Props at Brock University’s Department of Dramatic Arts program this Winter semester, 2023.
About Us
As Ontario’s largest international puppet festival, we provide opportunities for
