Sheatre
Producer
Sheatre is a professional community-engaged arts organization located in Grey-Bruce, Ontario.
Sheatre believes in the power of theatre and the arts to change lives and help build a compassionate and healthy society. Our mission is to inspire creative expression, transformative learning and change through workshops and artistic productions. We produce interactive theatre, music, music theatre, dance, writing, film and visual arts by, for and about communities. Our work focuses on two centres: interactive issue-oriented theatre and the arts, and arts that celebrate community and the creative spirit. Artists and community members work collaboratively to co-create a project using processes that are as important as the product. We are specialists in Forum Theatre and Theatre of the Oppressed.
Sheatre was founded in 1985 by Joan Chandler at the request of Huron County residents who wanted to tell their own stories and address rural issues using theatre. We have reached over 142,775 youth and adults in Canada, the US and England through the creation and production of 112 original plays, have employed 588 unique artists, and engaged almost 9,900 people in 1,240 workshops and events. Our work is presented in such venues as schools, seniors’ homes, community halls, churches, parks, and theatres.
To respond fluidly to current trends, Sheatre works on a multiple project‐to-project basis. Every year is quite unique.
Working primarily in rural and small urban communities, our collaborative projects often engage excluded populations and address high‐risk social issues. Projects have focused on such topics as homophobia, LGBTQ issues, sexual violence, unemployment, stigma of mental health, immigrant issues, elder abuse, lack of affordable housing, human trafficking, falls prevention in older adults, racial discrimination, dementia, substance abuse, gender equality, women’s issues, workplace sexual harassment, and community history.
Company recognition includes: Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General Victim Services Award of Distinction, City of Owen Sound Cultural Award, Phil Hartman Arts & Humanitarian Award, and the Bluewater District School Board Excellence in Education Award. We are featured in the book Playing Boal: Theatre, Therapy, Activism.
