ABOUT THE ACADEMY

The Soulpepper Academy aims to develop highly skilled theatre artists who are equipped to make significant contributions in rehearsal halls and to the cultural landscape of Canada. We develop artistic leaders and believe that a supportive and immersive experience allows artists to move confidently into new territories. The training aims to equip artists to innovate, take risks, and develop their unique voice. The Academy is not only a place of study, but also a site of research where they can pose the artistic questions that both enhance their own practice and shape the future of Canadian theatre.

Successful candidates will be selected for their artistic talent as well as for how their practice might contribute to collaborative creation. All Academy members will attend training sessions together and proceed through the program as an ensemble.

We are looking for performer-creators to join the 2023 Soulpepper Academy. ‘Performer-creator’ refers to artists who have a background and training as performers, and are truly invested in collaborative theatre-making as a pillar of their practice. We are interested in artists who are willing to experiment in writing, design, and collective creation. The ideal candidate has a clear artistic voice, yet is open-minded and ready to take creative risks. For six months, the ensemble will be working and learning alongside some of Canada’s leading artists, as well as creating original work together.

The Academy will begin full-time in June 2023 and conclude in December 2023. Academy participants each receive a stipend of $900/week for the 24 weeks of the program. The Academy training will take place at Soulpepper Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario.

WHY THE SOULPEPPER ACADEMY?

To accelerate the development of your artistic voice.
To make a meaningful and necessary contribution to the national theatre ecology.
To make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing vitality of Soulpepper.
To develop an open, collaborative, and enriched approach to the process of making theatre.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

We are looking for theatre artists who have interest and experience in creating work through a collaborative ensemble process with a willingness to learn, risk, experiment and grow. The Academy is intended for artists who self-identify as emerging or are in the early stages of their career.

WHAT’S THE TRAINING?

Participants will rigorously examine and renew their approach to making theatre.
Enriching the thinking and practice of the individual artist, and developing strong, responsive, and skilled collaborators within an ensemble setting.
The Academy is embedded within Soulpepper Theatre Company. Academy members will engage with Soulpepper productions, artists, and producers through mentorship, studio classes, and public performances.
Two terms of instruction:
- Term One is the development of a short solo performance
- Term Two is the development and public performance of a collective creation
Ongoing masterclasses and workshops from some of Canada’s leading theatre makers throughout both terms.

SELECTION PROCESS

All applications will be reviewed by the Academy Selection Committee. In the first round applicants will be asked to submit a document with responses to the questions/prompts outlined in the form below, along with their CV and headshot. For the second round a shortlist of applicants will be invited for in-person auditions and callbacks at Soulpepper. The shortlisted artists will participate in a group audition for their final round. Specifications will be sent to those moving on at every step.

Important: Please make note of the following dates and times for each in-person audition round. If you are shortlisted, you will be required to attend auditions on these dates at Soulpepper:

Round #2 Auditions: March 26 or 27, 9am to 9pm
Round #2 Callbacks: April 2, 9am to 9pm
Round #3 Group Auditions: April 15, 9am to 6pm

We thank everyone for their interest, and we’ll be in touch with you regardless to let you know the status of your application. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide feedback on applications at this time.

SUBMISSIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59PM ON MARCH 15, 2023 TO BE CONSIDERED

If you require accommodations regarding the application process, or have any questions, please email: Academy@Soulpepper.ca

We encourage applications from artists belonging to underrepresented and historically marginalized communities.

The main thing I’m taking away from this Academy experience is a deeper sense of confidence and understanding of myself as an artist. One of the aims set out in the Academy application was to help artists discover their unique artistic voice. And while I think this is an ongoing and perhaps ever-changing search, I do feel like I now have a deeper appreciation for the kinds of aesthetics, styles, and content I want to explore.

- Liz Der, 2021 Soulpepper Academy Graduate

Learn more about the Academy experience from 2022 graduates Will Dao, Varun Guru, Annie Luján, Shaquille Pottinger, and Kiana Woo.

Get to know the 2022 Academy Members (video)