Seventh Stage was founded in 2006 by Melissa-Jane Shaw, Rosa Laborde, Kelly Straughan and Kelsey Matheson. Having come across many other driven and talented female artists who were struggling out of theatre school, they wanted a company that would provide more meaningly leadership opportunities for women in theatre.
In spring 2007, Seventh Stage Theatre produced the Canadian premiere of Anthony Minghella’s Whale Music, which showcased 27 young female theatre professionals; put to stage 17 new works by emerging Canadian female artists via our whale riders program; gave a portion of proceeds to Ernestine’s Women Shelter and was both a critical and box office success. It was truly an amazing start for the company.
In 2008, Melissa-Jane Shaw took on the role of Artistic Producer and Kelly Straughan took on the role of Artistic Director. Together they assessed the company and made a few key changes, most prominently deciding to focus on female playwrights, effectively bringing them closer to their mandate of providing more opportunities to women artists. In 2008 Seventh Stage Theatre Productions was granted its charitable status and is an incorporated not-for-profit with a wonderful Board of Directors.
Our 2010 season began with a successful production of The Red Queen Effect at the Next Stage Theatre Festival. This original, collectively devised piece was part office drama, part grotesque cabaret, featuring an impressive cast of 12. We were honoured with rave reviews, sold out shows and a Dora Nomination for Outstanding Costume Design.
In May 2010, we presented the Canadian premiere of Heather Raffo’s 9 Parts of Desire at the Theatre Centre featuring a cast of nine diverse women. The show was a critical and box office success, earning a Dora Nomination for Outstanding Performance Ensemble.
The 2010 season ended triumphantly with two festival production including This is About the Push by then emerging playwright Rachel Blair at the Toronto Fringe Festival. The production received accolades, including NOW Magazine’s Best Production, Best Director and Best Ensemble. We completed our season in August with Liz Duffy Adams’ OR, at Summerworks, earning NOW Magazine’s Best Ensemble.
In 2012, we presented a revised version of The Red Queen Effect for CanStage’s workshop presentation week. Later that year we mounted the North American premiere of Stockholm by British playwright Bryony Lavery, in co-production with Nightwood Theatre. This multi-discinary piece reflected the combination of movement and text that we’d strived to create, combining the talents of director Kelly Straughan and choreographer Susie Burpee. The show received critical acclaim and Jonathon Young and Melissa-Jane Shaw were nominated for a Dora Award for Best Ensemble Performance.
After a 5 year hiatus, Seventh Stage returned with Melissa-Jane Shaw directing the Canadian Premier of Cordelia Lynn’s acclaimed Lela & Co. at The Theatre Centre, starring Jenna Harris and Graham Cuthbertson. Jenna was nominated for a Dora Award for Best Performance.
Between 2017 and 2019 Seventh Stage developed a their first musical production WENDY, DARLING, a modern adaptation of Peter Pan, whereby Wendy and Tiger Lily collaborate to lead the narrative. Conceived and directed by Melissa-Jane Shaw, composed by Rosalind Mills and written by Briana Brown, workshop productions were put on hold when the pandemic hit in early 2020.
Today as theatre sits in its most precarious position in modern history, Seventh Stage has moved largely into enabling inclusive and accessible education opportunities for womxn. In 2021, Seventh Stage collaborated with Soul Fuel Fitness to provide free and discounted dance and movement classes and memberships to womxn whose means had been seriously affected by the pandemic. This program has provided over 100 womxn with regular dance, yoga and movement classes since January 2021.
Moving forward, Seventh Stage will be increasing the racial diversity in its community and leadership, as it has largely been lead by white sis women. We are also in the process of shifting our mandate to make arts education more accessible and inclusive for marginalized and under-funded communities and individuals.
